Kevin Hart says he’s out as Oscars host after outrage over homophobic tweets
Kevin Hart announced on Twitter early Friday morning that he was stepping down from hosting this year’s Oscars ceremony after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences asked him to apologize for a number of his old tweets that used homophobic language, which he initially refused to do.
“I have made the choice to step down from hosting this year’s Oscar’s," Hart tweeted. "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.”
In a video posted to Instagram Thursday night, Hart boldly announced that he refused to apologize — even though the Academy requested one of him.
“So I just got a call from the Academy, and that call basically said, ‘Kevin, apologize for your tweets of old or we’re going to have to move and find another host,’” he says in the video. “They’re talking about the tweets from 2009, 2010.”
At least one of these tweets was from 2011.
“I chose to pass, I passed on the apology,” he continues. “The reason I chose to pass is because I’ve addressed this several times. This is not the first time this has come up. I’ve addressed it. I’ve spoken on it. I’ve said where the rights and wrongs were. I’ve said who I am now vs. who I was then. I’ve done it. I’ve done it. I’m not going to continue to go back and tap into the days of old when I’ve moved on, and I’m in a completely different space in my life."
“The same energy that went into finding those old tweets could be the same energy put into finding the response to the questions that have been asked years after years after years,” he adds.
Many articles have noted a 2015 Rolling Stone interview in which he addressed homophobic jokes from his stand-up routine — but not his Twitter account.
“We feed Internet trolls and reward them. I’m not going to do it, man. I’m going to be me. I’m going to stay on my grind,” Hart concluded. “Regardless, Academy, I’m thankful and appreciative of the opportunity. If it goes away, no harm no foul."
“I know who I am & so do the people closest to me. #LiveLoveLaugh,” read text accompanying the video.
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