By @MinneeTellsItAll
Hip-HopVibe.com Contributing Writer
Early December Kevin Hart announced that he will be hosting the 2019 Oscars sharing his excitement by saying “..the day has come.” Shortly after, the super star comedian stepped down from being the host of this year’s Oscars ceremony following backlash received over homophobic tweets that he posted many years ago. Fast forward a month later, and Hart may be re-considering his decision. Former Oscars host, Ellen Degeneres, has come to the defense of Mr. Hart after he appeared on her show Ellen.
The topic about him turning down the Academy as a host came up and Kevin spoke at length about his reasons as to why he did so. The actor and comedian spoke openly about his experience of being named host and that quickly being changed. With an honest heart, Kevin says that being an Oscar host is something that he’s wanted to do, mainly because so few African Americans have had the the opportunity to do so previously. He went on to discuss as to why he didn’t respond to the backlash on social media because he had previously spoke on his hurtful homophobic tweets, his ignorance behind those tweets and how he apologized. He felt as though if he did so again, that it will just add fuel to the fire and would have been used against him anyhow.
I believe in forgiveness. I believe in second chances. And I believe in @KevinHart4real. pic.twitter.com/oJxfGXhU4P
— Ellen DeGeneres (@EllenDeGeneres) January 4, 2019
Once the academy gave him the ultimatum to either apologize or not be able to host the event, he decided to step down and this is why…
“I don’t want to step on that stage and make that night about me and my past when you got people that have worked hard to step on that stage for the first time and receive an award. I’m now taking away from all those moments because the night is focused on something else now.”
Later in the show, Degeneres goes on to say that she wants him to be rehired, so much so, that she took the situation into her own hands. She admits to actually calling the Academy to discuss the matter and according to Degeneres, the Academy still wants Kevin Hart to host the show and seemed genuinely sorry for the way things transpired. With that being said, Ellen continued to elaborate on why Kevin should consider still hosting the Oscars. She even speaks on her personal experience as a gay woman and understands that the early comments were harmful, but that she clearly doesn’t believe that Kevin Hart is the same person now.
“For you to be the bigger man, for you to say, ‘I understand’ and to not pay attention. There are so many haters out there. Whatever’s going on on the internet, don’t pay attention to them. That’s a small group of people being very, very loud. We are a huge group of people who love you and want to see you host the Oscars.”
Ellen is continuing her fight for Kevin to be reinstated as the host of the 2019 Academy Awards, even though she’s receiving major backlash on Twitter for her stance.
https://twitter.com/RyanHoulihan/status/1081087825691492352
I feel like if you’re not homophobic anymore, you shouldn’t mind apologizing for your past homophobia again and again and again. I don’t want to hear a hostile retelling of how we didn’t hear your meager apology the first time.
— Louis Virtel (@louisvirtel) January 4, 2019
https://twitter.com/Tweet_Dec/status/1081182288296194048
Ellen’s show is basically the embodiment of respectability politics, so using it as a platform to absolve Kevin Hart on our behalf sounds pretty much on brand. Her sitcom allowed her to do something radical, which she suffered for, & she’s been running away from that ever since.
— Laurence Barber (@laurencesmb) January 4, 2019
The only thing @KevinHart4real proved by going on Ellen was that he is a terrible actor with zero genuine remorse who didn’t have the decency to address his ignorance. No, they weren’t “haters” who came after you. It was the LGBTQI+ community because we’re sick to shit of it.
— Harry Cook (@HarryCook) January 4, 2019
I expected Ellen to actually ask Kevin Hart some sort of challenging question. Anything, really. But instead, it was just one long monologue from Kevin interspersed with Ellen’s approval. That interview made me miss the previous talk show hosts that asked tough questions.
— deray (@deray) January 4, 2019
Unfortunately Mrs Ellen, this ain’t your fight. The harm is done and this man hasn’t learned. He is worried about his pockets being harmed.
Not the community he has harmed https://t.co/GdTpweBjDR
— George M Johnson Garçon (@IamGMJohnson) January 4, 2019
https://twitter.com/adambvary/status/1081121826707693568
https://twitter.com/adambvary/status/1081121827387109376
https://twitter.com/adambvary/status/1081121828284682240
https://twitter.com/adambvary/status/1081121829140353024
https://twitter.com/adambvary/status/1081121829920468992
https://twitter.com/adambvary/status/1081121830784516096
https://twitter.com/adambvary/status/1081121831577239552
We’re now less than two months away from the ceremony and no host has been announced for the show. Probably because the Academy is still hoping to make a deal with Kevin Hart. Whether or not Kevin decides to return as the host, people will have their opinions and there will be reactions coming from every direction. Hopefully Kevin could just look past the commentary and do what he does best, which is to put on a phenomenal show, make the audience laugh, and create a wonderful night and experience for all. Regardless, at this point, whoever becomes host won’t have much time to put a show together. The story can still go either way, Kevin can accept the position, the Academy can find a new host and put it together in a few weeks, or not have a host at all. Stay tuned as we will keep you up to date with this ongoing story!
For now, check out the clips of her broadcasted Ellen show here.
https://www.ellentube.com/video/kevin-hart-opens-up-about-oscars-controversy.html
https://www.ellentube.com/video/kevin-hart-is-evaluating-his-oscars-hosting-decision.html
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