In what has turned into a never-ending drama that might shed more light at the internal issues at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts more than anything else, Kevin Hart has now clarified he will not return to host the 91st Academy Awards. According to Deadline, Hart has let AMPAS know he feels his return would be a distraction to the telecast and the show will now move on using multiple presenters instead. This will be the first time the Oscars have gone without an official host in 30 years.
Hart appeared on The Ellen Show on Friday where he discussed his initial excitement over one of his career goals and then the disappointment in the controversy that followed. Hart was called out over homophobic tweets he’d posted beginning in 2010 which spurred him to withdraw his participation just a few days later. Ellen DeGeneres, a two-time Oscar host herself, encouraged Hart to reconsider saying to ignore the “haters” and that a majority of people wanted him to host. She also says The Academy told her they would take back Hart to host if he wanted to, something no one at the organization will confirm (backtrack much AMPAS?). Deadline reports Hart did reconsider, but Hart has continued to handle the situation strangely and his comments on Ellen only reiterated how his personal response to the attacks have not taken into account anyone else. The box office star and comedian has insisted again and again he had apologized over the years for the tweets, but consistently refused to say when and where. When he did, on Ellen’s show weeks later, the “apology” in question was highly debatable. Hart has apologized, but to many, it hasn’t felt genuine whatsoever. It has also sparked a debate in the African-American community over how black gay men are treated as kids after the tweet resurfaced of Hart responding negatively over the possibility of his own son being gay. DeGeneres’ comments have also fueled discord over her lack of compassion and understanding of, in theory, her own gay community.
Most importantly, the entire escapade has demonstrated AMPAS inability to read the room of the industry and the public for the second time less than five months after controversy swirled over a proposed “popular film category” in August. The irony is that without Hart or a notable host the Academy will be counting on nominations from blockbuster such as “A Star is Born,” “Black Panther” and, potentially, “A Quiet Place,” “Crazy Rich Asians” and “Bohemian Rhapsody.” It will be ABC’s responsibility to hype those nominations and possible wins after the significant drop in ratings that occurred with Jimmy Kimmel’s second stint as host last year. It should be noted ABC has used the Oscars the past two years to hype Kimmel, more than the nominated films or stars that might drive viewers to watch the telecast.
This embarrassing public relations mess should also be a heads up from members of AMPAS’ Board of Governors, known to squabble over their own immediate priorities, that not all is well in the leadership of the organization. Membership is one issue, but serious questions need to be addressed about the culture of AMPAS’ front office and how they handle unexpected situations such as this (although the Hart one was easy to determine beforehand with some effective research). The past two years of John Bailey’s presidency has been rough waters following Cheryl Boone Isaac’s run where she effectively and graciously handled one controversy after another (including a showdown with the newly installed Trump administration over the Muslim Ban). With the Academy making more news over their mistakes than their positive contributions to the industry and public at large, something clearly needs to change.
The 91st Academy Awards will air on ABC on Feb. 24 live at 5 PM PT, 8 EM PT.