KEVIN HART'S TWITTER TROUBLE FORCES HIM TO STEP DOWN AS OSCAR HOST

Popular actor and comedian Kevin Hart announced on social media last Thursday evening that he shall no longer host the 2019 Academy Awards due to several past homophobic tweets. All this occurred just 48 hours after Hart was confirmed to host the Oscars next February with howls of online protests against his previous anti-gay tweets, and cold remarks Hart made during stand-up routines nearly 10 years ago. 

The since deleted tweets were originally rediscovered by an editor at the Guardian Benjamin Lee who following the Oscars announcement posted a tweet stating “I wonder when Kevin Hart is gonna start deleting all his old tweets,” including screenshots from some of Hart’s since-deleted tweets. In one tweet from 2011, Hart wrote, “Yo if my son comes home & try’s 2 play with my daughters doll house I’m going 2 break it over his head & say n my voice ‘stop that’s gay." The screenshots taken from some of Kevin Hart’s since-deleted tweets in which he said someone looked like “a gay bill board for AIDS” and called another person a “FAT FAG.” This developed into Hart posting a new video on Instagram on Thursday evening, letting his followers know that he was contacted by the Academy and asked to apologize for his old tweets if he still wanted to host. This was followed by Hart mentioning he will hold on an apology on a matter of principle against who he was in his past to who he has now become. He also continues to blame internet trolls for not letting him be himself.  

I chose to pass on the apology. The reason why I passed is I’ve addressed this several times. . . . I’ve said where the rights and wrongs were. I’ve said who I am now versus who I was then. I’ve done it. I’ve done it. I’m not going to continue to go back. . . . 

After the video approximately less than two hours later, Hart announced via Twitter that he was removing himself from the role of host and he finally offered the apology everyone was looking for. He stated that he has made the choice to step down from hosting this year's Oscar's....this is because he simply did not want to be a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing talented artists. Hart concluded the tweet by apologizing to the LGBTQ community for his insensitive words from his past.

Overall, this is a clear example on how sometimes the pen is mightier than the sword and in today's digital era one must really be socially conscious and respectful about what they write online as it can easily be analysed by the present and effect the now. As for what can only be described as a humiliating act and career damaging move on the part of Kevin Hart, Hollywood has been known to be forgiving to those who appear publicly apologetic and sincere. Irrelevant to whether Hart's apology is enough, the show must go on.