You might not be aware, but the 91st Academy Awards is currently without a host. In one of the strangest weeks in Oscar history, Kevin Hart announced he was hosting the show only to resign three days later. Hart decided to drop out after tweets he’d made 10 years ago that were clearly homophobic were prominently noted in a story in The Guardian and by individual voices on social media, primarily twitter. The comedy star said he’d apologized for the comments in the past, but would not say when. He also said the Academy had asked him to apologize again and he’d refused.
Almost a month later, the Oscars are still without an emcee and have floated the idea of going either host-less or using multiple hosts for the first time in 30 years. Hart was scheduled to appear on Ellen DeGeneres daytime talk show to discuss his new movie, “The Upside,” on Monday. The segment was taped on Thursday, Jan 3 and bumped up to run on the Friday, Jan. 4 broadcast. It’s clear, Hart’s appearance become an opportunity for DeGeneres, a two-time host herself, to discuss the events and try to convince him to get the gig back.
You can watch both segments in the embedded video below, but it begins with Hart admitting he took the online attacks very personally. Once they occured – he was quite obsessed with the fact he didn’t recieve even one full day of “sunshine” about the news – he determined there would be a cloud over the ceremony and “I don’t want to make that night about me and my past [while] people have worked hard to win an award.” He continues, “I’d rather say I’m sorry and move on.”
Hart says he apologized for the statements during the press junket for 2015’s “Get Hard,” a film that was criticized for its homophobic comedy, and during another junket during 2012. That was likely during the press tour of “The Five Year Engagement” or “Think Like A Man.” It should be noted that what is most disconcerting about Hart’s insinstence of his previous apology is that it’s very likely the reporter who conducted that interview would have remembered something so specific and non-entertainment focused. The idea they have not brought it up or the outlet it was with had not surfaced the interview is, frankly, bizarre.
During the Ellen interview Hart goes on to reflect on the fact that he admits his mistakes because “My kids knows when their dads messes up they know I’m in front of it because I know what it can do.” Moreover, he felt this was a “malicious attack” on his character. “This was to destroy me,” “This was to damage the lives that were invested in me.” If he were to host the show, he notes, “I’m now going right back into the place where the people who came after me want me to go. Somebody has to take a stand against the trolls.”
DeGeneres counters with, “But they are going to win if you don’t host the Oscars.” She also revealed she’d talked to The Academy and would love to have him back. Hart ends the interview non-commital, but the fact the airdate was pushed up is a signal all parties want this resolved tomorrow before the Globes air on Sunday. The last thing The Academy or ABC want is Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg making fun of the fact the Globes have hosts and the Oscars do not.
This cannot be how The Academy or ABC truly want this handled, however. Even in this interview, Hart has still made the entire controversy about him. It’s his dream that’s been shattered. DeGeneres even helps set him up as a martyr. The idea anyone is profiting or gaining from bringing Hart’s public comments to light is ridiculous. No one at The Guardian is getting a pay raise for their opinion piece. No one is gaining millions of followers for reminding the world what Hart has said in the past. Moreover, there is nothing Hart says that will disapate the “cloud” he says now hangs over him and the Oscars. In fact, you can argue this will make some critics, let alone some members of The Academy, more upset.
Are you really ready to laugh at Kevin Hart’s jokes on the Oscars after all of this?
The 91st Academy Awards will air on Feb. 24 on ABC.
I believe in forgiveness. I believe in second chances. And I believe in @KevinHart4real. pic.twitter.com/oJxfGXhU4P
— Ellen DeGeneres (@EllenDeGeneres) January 4, 2019
