Lesbian day-time talk show host Ellen DeGeneres recently interviewed comedian Kevin Hart about his decision to step down as the host of the Oscars following the unearthing of his past homophobic comments.
During the interview, DeGeneres said she forgave Hart and mentioned that she called the Oscars and got them to accept him as the host, if he wants to return. Hart said he’d consider it.
In the interview, Hart explained that he initially refused to address or apologize for his anti-gay “jokes” because his homophobic comments were 10 years old and “stuff I’ve addressed and… apologized for,” though that remains questionable (as we’ll explain below).
Hart also said he no longer makes homophobic comments in his comedy routines because it’s stupid and hurtful, and called headlines of his “refusing” to apologize for his past comments “slander.” (But they weren’t because they were true.)
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When Hart was called out for his past comments, Hart did initially respond by deleting his homophobic tweets. Soon after, he posted two Instagram videos in which he proclaimed his love of everybody and told critics to “Stop looking for reasons to be negative.” In his second video, he flat out refused to apologize when asked by Academy Award organizers to do so.
Hart told DeGeneres that he apologized for his anti-gay comments during press for his homophobic 2015 film Get Hard. But publications never reported any such apologies. Rather, they merely quoted Hart as saying that he wouldn’t make such comments now because “the times [10 years ago] weren’t as sensitive as they are now.”
In a subsequent interview around the same time, Hart explained why he’d never play a gay role, adding, “I have [no] ill will or disrespect [towards gay people].”
Related: Kevin Hart rang in New Year’s with a rapper who officiated a gay marriage
A few hours after posting his second Instagram video, Hart resigned as the Oscars’ host, writing, “I do not want to be a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing talented artists. I sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community for my insensitive words from my past.”
When speaking to DeGeneres, Hart talks as if the social media disapproval of his homophobic comments was its own “malicious attack on [his] character,” meant to utterly “destroy” all of his success. He also acts as if the controversy was unaffected by his actions or response to it, but that’s BS.
DeGeneres told Hart that if he doesn’t host the Oscars, the online “haters” will win. Naturally, her brand is built on kindness, so it makes sense that she’d try and help her friend.
But Hart still sees himself as the victim in this story and he’s obviously still angry at those who called him out, showing that he doesn’t understand his involvement. He had only to apologize to make the controversy go away, and he refused to.
He could’ve made his case by pointing to any past apology in print, but he didn’t. And now, because LGBTQ people asked for that, they’re the “haters.” Please.
Hart may not like the social media attention he’s received since becoming a big name comedian, but he can’t ignore it. Doing so only made his tempest in a teacup a full blown hurricane.
Bob LaBlah
Its pretty obvious no one wants the job and if he is the only one willing to take the plunge then let him. As they say in show business “the show must go on”.
Billy Budd
The Sicilian in me tells me NEVER to forgive.
Hussain-TheCanadian
I didn’t realize Ellen speaks on behalf of the gay community – it’s nice that she forgave him, did she ask him about taking back the “joke” “slamming the doll house” on his son’s head if he found him playing with dolls?
Vince
Ellen’s the new Elton John I guess.
Van Der Hoor
I find it all very much staged, so he can get the free pass and actually do the hosting gig… I believe in second opportunities, yet he has failed miserably at an actual appologie worthy of any kind of forgiveness…
Wicked Dickie
Ellen is never cancelled. She acts like a rational adult, unlike you bitchy queens.
Hussain-TheCanadian
The same “rational adult” who invited that war criminal Bush on her show to discuss his paintings?
She can fck off as far as im concerned, and she can take Kevin with her.
iamru2
I agree I’m all about forgiveness and 2nd chances for situations like this. The problem is the hypocrisy that goes on. Why isn’t Ellen supporting Rosanne?
Polaro
Because Rosanne is a lunatic, multiple offender. I used to be a Rosanne fan, but she is just going to keep stepping in it, over and over and over. Never was a Kevin Hart fan and would prefer he just go away, but he isn’t much different than 90% of people from 10 years ago.
orrine
Polaro, do a research on kevin. Media has reported as if he had one homophobic joke, menawhile those jukes were run of the mill for him. So by the same logic, he’s also a multiple offender
Invalid
Indeed. While I’m very happy Ellen and Kevin have a bromance going, she doesn’t speak for us all. Kevin has suggested violence, even against his own offspring, would be acceptable. It isn’t.
Roan
Apologizing & expecting a reward for apologizing is not how it works. He’s sorry? Great! Let’s see actions, words, deeds. Donate. Volunteer. Give a speech. Get involved. Bring awareness to the issue of dehumanizing jokes so other people don’t suffer for the sake of a punchline.
Donston
I really couldn’t care less who host the godforsaken Oscars. And Kevin is no more appealing or unappealing to me than he was before I saw those tweets. He’s certainly not any funnier. The only tweet I took real issue with and didn’t seem like a joke in the least bit is claiming that he’d hurt his son if he ever came out as gay. That’s some disturbing sh*t that Ellen clearly doesn’t have the balls to tackle head-on. But whatever.
Bob LaBlah
Ellen nor Kevin had any other choice but to “play” along. There is no one else out there to host the show and Kevin did agree to do it. The best thing to do at this point is to calm things down and let the show go on.
Geeker
Rumors are that behind the scenes she’s a miserable nightmare of a human being who treats her staff and writers like garbage so her “forgiveness” of a man that said he’d break a dollhouse over his own sons head if he thought he was gay doesn’t mean shit to me.
niles
Straight men are all about getting second (and third and fourth, …) chances.
SFHarry
There is a difference between forgiving someone and rewarding someone. When someone apologizes to receive something it should always be viewed suspiciously. As a community we can forgive someone when they renounce their past homophobia but not reward them with hosting the Oscars.
Actions speak louder than words: If in the next year we see that he has truly changed his comedy routines to be inclusive, maybe he works to raise money for LGBT causes and does these things without a guaranty that he will then be able to host the Oscars it would show true change.
There are plenty of people who can host the Oscars.
ShowMeGuy
How many more damn times does he have to apologize? If you haven’t figured it out yet….CNN, Fox News, The Village Voice, and The Advocate don’t report EVERY single little thing that happens…..and that doesn’t mean it doesn’t count.
jjose712
He never apologized. He just said he won’t do the jokes anymore because people are more sensitive today.
His comments about not wanting to play a gay role didn’t help, and not having a problem in playing roles in movies full of homophobia doesn’t help either.
Anyway, she is the one looking bad hee. She is a sellout who thinks she speak for other people
sb90028
What a betrayal. Ellen is just a mainstream Hollywood elite now. Sold us out. Ellen is morally bankrupt. Kevin Hart is the same evil trash that 99% of that community is.
HereIAm
What a bitter person you are , sir, and what a harsh world you live in! Stay upset for as long as you want but the world goes on with or without your anger and bitterness.
Donston
Ellen has always towed the line and has always been a peace-maker and someone who isn’t about ruffling anyone’s feathers. No one should really be surprised by that. I really don’t care about the Oscars or even that much about Kevin’s old tweets. And I do feel social media can be overzealous, over-sensitive and have a gang-up mentality. But basically no one who is interviewing this dude and no one in the industry who is supporting him is bringing up that in one tweet he threatened to hurt his son if he came out as gay. That right there is proof of how full of sh*t Hollywood and a great percentage of journalism is.
Kangol
When you write “evil trash that 99% of that community” is, what “community” are you talking about?
Me2
I’m sure the Hollywood elite would take issue with you calling 99% of them trash. Neither Kevin nor Ellen should be viewed as representatives for an entire community of any kind. The fact that people give entertainers, who’re usually clueless about social issues, the responsibility to carry the mantle is just stupid. Yes, his comments should be denounced and they have been. But it’s clear that his career is not going to suffer because of it, so it’s time to move on. The way in which we live our own day-to-day lives has more influence over society than some unfunny caricatures. And honestly, 99% the gay community can be just as trashy, non-inclusive, and judgmental within itself and to others as any other group of people.
Kieran
Not only is Ellen unfunny, but she’s also a sell-out.
kamirX
How ironic it will be if it turns out Kevin Hart’s son IS gay.
Kieran
Since homophobia is common in repressed gay men, Kevin Hart is likely gay himself.
myklstarr
why does queerty continue with the poorly worded titles to the article? Do you need new writers? Fact checkers? Ellen asked Would they want him to host, she didn’t ask them to take him back. To which they answered, Yes, they were hoping he would change his mind. these headlines are borderline click bait.
mediajky
In my opinion, there is room for forgiveness, when the person shows authentic remorse and in intends to make reparations. I do not think Kevin has demonstrated either. The LGBTQ African American community is victim to significantly more violence than other groups. This was a great opportunity for someone to use his platform to change attitudes. To me his apology reads as an act of public relations clean up.
Me2
Where are people pulling these statistics from to claim that African American LGBTQ’s are significantly more susceptible to violence for being gay? Fact is, Kevin’s comments had nothing to do with skin color and everything to do with antiquated societal norms. A lot of straight men from all races think like him.
MuslimSlutBox
I never saw Hart before today and IDK who he was aside from being an entertainer. I checked out the clip of him and Ellen and immediately thought this guy sounded pretty gay himself. The soft, shy voice sounded legit gay to me. IDK, am I wrong about this? Considering that sometimes people make anti-gay remarks to throw the suspicion off of themselves, maybe that is what this whole thing is actually about. Throwing the suspicion off himself.