kevin hart oscars

Kevin Hart Scrambles to Delete Homophobic Tweets Now That He’s Hosting The Oscars

Delete all you want, the internet is forever.
This article is over 5 years old and may contain outdated information

Recommended Videos

The announcement that Kevin Hart would be hosting the 2019 Academy Awards was met with a resounding “meh”, after rumors that no one wanted to emcee Hollywood’s biggest night. Hart, who has already proved himself as an A-list comedian and box office star, was a fine but safe choice for the gig. Now, a series of homophobic tweets posted by the comedian puts his high profile gig in jeopardy.

Hart has been rushing to delete the offensive tweets, but it’s the internet and of course people caught screenshots before they were deleted:

Hart’s rampant homophobia is hardly a surprise to anyone familiar with his work. His act has frequently including offensive jokes about the LBGTQ community, with an especially tasteless bit about his fears that his son was gay.

He also appeared in the 2015 comedy Get Hard with Will Ferrell, which was basically an entire film built on gay panic and prison rape jokes. And while everyone has said stupid, offensive stuff online, Hart has shown zero remorse for his words. In a 2015 interview with Rolling Stone, the comedian said of his bit about his son, “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. These things become public spectacles. So why set yourself up for failure?” It’s easy to infer from the quote that Hart is concerned not with the content of the joke and who it may offend but the “sensitivity” of the modern audience.

And the Academy has a history of dealing with homophobic remarks. Director Brett Ratner resigned from producing the Oscars in 2011 after he said “rehearsal is for f-gs” during an interview with Howard Stern. Ratner would later be accused of sexual harassment and assault during the #MeToo movement.

It seems wildly tone deaf that after another year marred by the #MeToo movement and the hideous and offensive behavior of men in Hollywood, that the Academy would whiff yet another opportunity to have a female host. I mean, why not give the job to Maya Rudolph or Tiffany Haddish … or the two of them together? They already proved they had stellar chemistry as presenters last year.

(via The Guardian, image: Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Universal Pictures)

Want more stories like this? Become a subscriber and support the site!

The Mary Sue has a strict comment policy that forbids, but is not limited to, personal insults toward anyone, hate speech, and trolling.—


The Mary Sue is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of Chelsea Steiner
Chelsea Steiner
Chelsea was born and raised in New Orleans, which explains her affinity for cheesy grits and Britney Spears. An pop culture journalist since 2012, her work has appeared on Autostraddle, AfterEllen, and more. Her beats include queer popular culture, film, television, republican clownery, and the unwavering belief that 'The Long Kiss Goodnight' is the greatest movie ever made. She currently resides in sunny Los Angeles, with her husband, 2 sons, and one poorly behaved rescue dog. She is a former roller derby girl and a black belt in Judo, so she is not to be trifled with. She loves the word “Jewess” and wishes more people used it to describe her.