Shortly after Kevin Hart agreed to host the 2019 Academy Awards, old tweets of his containing offensive language and homophobic jokes were shared on social media; two days later, he announced that he would be stepping down as host of the award show. “I will say this, and I want to make this very clear,” he said at the time. “Once again, Kevin Hart apologizes for his remarks that hurt members of the LGBTQ community. I apologize.” He then got defensive, telling Ellen DeGeneres that he already apologized for his jokes, calling it “an attack to end me.” But, as Hart explained in a new interview, he didn’t realize how hurtful his comments were until he was confronted by his friends.
“With the whole Oscars thing, there was a big gap between what I thought the problem was versus what the problem really was,” he told Men’s Health. “I got ten years where I made sure not to joke or play in the way that I did back then because it was a problem.” Claiming he’s a “people person,” Hart said that he doesn’t care if you’re “gay or not gay,” he’s going to “love you regardless.” But he now regrets not using his high-profile platform to condemn his comments more:
“It wasn’t until close friends like Wanda Sykes, Lee Daniels, and Ellen talked to me and explained what they didn’t hear me say that I understood. Then I was like, ‘Oh, sh*t. I did f*ck up.'”
The Oscars will once again go hostless this Sunday, as ratings for the 2019 ceremony were the highest in five years. Hart is not expected to attend and might not be there next year, either. He’s waiting for when the Monopoly movie gets nominated for Best Picture.
(Via Men’s Health)
