Comedian Kevin Hart steps down as Oscars host after outcry over old ‘homophobic’ tweets
- Remarks posted on social media seven years ago outraged a gay rights group, which complained to the academy, broadcaster and star’s manager
Just two days after being named host of the Academy Awards, Kevin Hart stepped down following complaints about some of the comedian’s past tweets.
Capping a swift and dramatic fallout, Hart wrote on Twitter on Friday that he was withdrawing as Oscars host because he did not want to be a distraction.
“I sincerely apologise to the LGBTQ community for my insensitive words from my past,” wrote Hart.
Hart stepped aside about an hour after refusing to apologise for tweets that resurfaced after he was announced as Oscars host on Tuesday. In a video on Instagram, Hart said the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences gave him an ultimatum: apologise or “we’re going to have to move on and find another host”.
“I chose to pass on the apology,” Hart said. “The reason why I passed is because I’ve addressed this several times.”
Hart has since deleted some of the anti-gay tweets, mostly dated from 2009-2011. But they had already been screen-captured and been shared online. In 2011, he wrote in a now deleted tweet: “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.”
If you don’t believe that people change, grow, evolve? I don’t know what to tell you