Twitter users react to Kevin Hart's decision to step down as Oscars host
Updated | By Tamlyn Canham
"I'm sorry that I hurt people..," says comedian Kevin Hart following controversy over jokes he made about gay people in the past.
Kevin Hart will no longer be hosting the Oscars after old tweets he made about gay people resurfaced this week.
The comedian came under fire after several sites claimed he had been deleting derogatory tweets he made eight years ago about the LGBTQI community after being announced as the 2019 host.
But it's unclear when the posts were deleted as Kevin has spoken about the controversial tweets several times over the past few years.
"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'," one tweet read.
Academy Awards officials reportedly told the actor to apologise for his old tweets or face losing his hosting gig.
Kevin had initially refused to apologise.
"Stop looking for reasons to be negative…stop searching for reasons to be angry...I swear I wish you guys could see/feel/understand the mental place that I am in. I am truly happy people… there is nothing that you can do to change that….NOTHING,' he said in an Instagram video.
But it looks like 'The Wedding Ringer' star has had a change of heart.
"I have made the choice to step down from hosting this year's Oscar's....this is because 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," he tweeted.
The 39-year-old added that he still hoped to host the Oscars in the future.
"I'm sorry that I hurt people... I am evolving and want to continue to do so. My goal is to bring people together not tear us apart. Much love & appreciation to the Academy. I hope we can meet again."
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I have made the choice to step down from hosting this year's Oscar's....this is because 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.
— Kevin Hart (@KevinHart4real) December 7, 2018
I'm sorry that I hurt people.. I am evolving and want to continue to do so. My goal is to bring people together not tear us apart. Much love & appreciation to the Academy. I hope we can meet again.
— Kevin Hart (@KevinHart4real) December 7, 2018
Kevin took to Instagram to explain why he initially refused to apologise.
"I'm not going to go back and tap into the days of old when I have moved on and I am in a completely different space in my life... The same energy that went into finding those tweets could be the same energy to finding the response to the questions that have been asked," he said in the video.
He also talked about the old tweets in a 2015 Rolling Stone interview.
"I wouldn’t tell that joke today, because when I said it, the times weren’t as sensitive as they are now. I think we love to make big deals out of things that aren’t necessarily big deals, because we can.... So why set yourself up for failure?” he told the publication.
“I wouldn’t tell that joke today, because when I said it, the times weren’t as sensitive as they are now. I think we love to make big deals out of things that aren’t necessarily big deals, because we can.... So why set yourself up for failure?”
— Kingsley (@kingsleyyy) December 7, 2018
-Kevin Hart, Rolling Stone 2015 pic.twitter.com/rrTbR8W764
View this post on InstagramI know who I am & so do the people closest to me. #LiveLoveLaugh
A post shared by Kevin Hart (@kevinhart4real) on
Here's how social media users reacted to Kevin stepping down as host of next year's Oscars.
I’m no saint. We just wanted a little understanding, a little explanation. Apologies are tough - they leave you vulnerable. Toxic masculinity is real. I deal with it in my own way too. So on that note, I appreciate @KevinHart4real apologizing. And apology accepted. That’s all.
— billy eichner (@billyeichner) December 7, 2018
Kevin Hart: I’m not gonna apologize...
— Mars & Blair Show (@marsandblair) December 7, 2018
The Academy: pic.twitter.com/KdpAqL37vE
How about Dave Chappelle instead of Kevin Hart at The Oscars? pic.twitter.com/UjBtasVWG4
— Cameron Grant (@coolghost101) December 7, 2018
Kevin Hart as Oscars host be like pic.twitter.com/iDxLUkchtW
— 9GAG (@9GAG) December 7, 2018
Majority of the world thinks this is one of the funniest comedy specials of all time (it is) but Kevin Hart was forced to quit because of some 10 year old jokes? Stop holding comedians to higher standards than the President. pic.twitter.com/j0vEv0ayWE
— Garen Arargil (@GarenJArargil) December 7, 2018
Kevin Hart was removed as the Oscars host because of his homophobic tweets. pic.twitter.com/tx02h6yy2n
— c (@chuuzus) December 7, 2018
Just to be clear to all the comedy fans who think people are being too sensitive around this Kevin Hart thing: there’s a difference between being offended by a joke and knowing that joke is perpetuating violence against a community, specifically gay youth. Learn the difference.
— Dana Goldberg (@DGComedy) December 7, 2018
Remember when CNN's @KaitlanCollins made the same comments that Kevin Hart did and everyone said she was just joking and people shouldn't bring it up?
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) December 7, 2018
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