Kevin Hart Steps Down From Hosting the Oscars After Old Homophobic Tweets Resurface
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It’s been an interesting week for Kevin Hart.
On Tuesday, December 4th, Kevin Hart announced that he would be hosting the 91st Oscars ceremony. By Thursday, December 6th, just two days later, Hart revealed he was dropping out of hosting duties.
How did we get here?
WATCH: Kevin Hart Embarrasses Himself On Live TV, Drops F-Bomb After Eagles’ Super Bowl Win
Hours after the initial announcement, a bunch of old, homophobic tweets started resurfacing on Twitter. Guardian editor Benjamin Lee started posting homophobic comments and screenshots of the tweets on his account (the tweets were from 2009 to 2011:)
And the Oscar for most homophobic host ever goes to… pic.twitter.com/fw9DTjSrhx
— Benjamin Lee (@benfraserlee) December 5, 2018
I wonder when Kevin Hart is gonna start deleting all his old tweets 🤔🤔🤔 pic.twitter.com/ZbYG6SI3Xm
— Benjamin Lee (@benfraserlee) December 5, 2018
Kevin Hart started to delete the tweets. However, he didn’t get rid of all of them
On Thursday Hart responded to the tweets. He was defiant; he didn’t apologize. In the video, Hart said:
Guys, I’m almost 40 years old. If you don’t believe that people change, grow, evolve as they get older, I don’t know what to tell you. If you want to hold people in a position where they always have to justify or explain the past, then do you. I’m the wrong guy, man. I’m in a great place. A great mature place where all I do is spread positivity.”
That response was received poorly on social media.
This is not good. A simple, authentic apology showing any bit of understanding or remorse would have been so simple. Like I tweeted a few weeks ago, Hollywood still has a real problem with gay men. On the surface it may not look like it. Underneath, it’s far more complicated. https://t.co/A64LsOjVc2
— billy eichner (@billyeichner) December 7, 2018
A couple of hours later Hart posted another video where he revealed that The Academy asked him to apologize for the old tweets or they would have to find another host. Hart passed, saying that he’s addressed his homophobic words before, and didn’t feel the need to do it again. (In a 2015 interview with Rolling Stone he spoke about the joke about not wanting to have a gay son. Hart said he “wouldn’t tell that joke today, because when I said it, the times weren’t as sensitive as they are now.”)
Hours later, Hart dropped out of the Oscars. He also finally issued an apology:
I have made the choice to step down from hosting this year’s Oscar’s….this is because I do not want to be a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing talented artists. I sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community for my insensitive words from my past.
— Kevin Hart (@KevinHart4real) December 7, 2018
I’m sorry that I hurt people.. I am evolving and want to continue to do so. My goal is to bring people together not tear us apart. Much love & appreciation to the Academy. I hope we can meet again.
— Kevin Hart (@KevinHart4real) December 7, 2018
