Kevin Hart Responds To Backlash Over Homophobic Tweets, Jokes But Doesn’t Apologize

Kevin Hart recently responded to the backlash he received over his homophobic tweets and jokes. However, the comedian did not apologize for his previous statements.

On his Instagram account, the host of the 2019 Oscars uploaded a video of himself reacting to his old tweets and jokes that resurfaced this week.

“Guys, I’m almost 40 years old. If you don’t believe that people change, grow, evolve as people get older, I don’t know what to tell you. If you want to hold people in a position where they always have to justify or explain their past, then do you. I’m the wrong guy,” he said.

During his comedy special “Seriously Funny” in 2010, Hart told audiences that his biggest fear was for his son to come out as gay. He also said that as a heterosexual male, he can prevent his son from becoming gay. Five years later, he addressed his remarks during an interview with Rolling Stone.

At that time, Hart didn’t apologize for his statement but said that he won’t make the same joke again. And in 2009, Hart also tweeted about fighting with a gay guy.

“Is it gay if you fight with long hair and when you start losing you grab a hand full,” he wrote.

The tweet has since been deleted, but some critics still managed to repost it.

In related news, not everyone was pleased with Hart’s new Instagram video. Comedian Billy Eichner said that what he did was not good.

“A simple, authentic apology showing any bit of understanding or remorse would have been so simple. Like I tweeted a few weeks ago, Hollywood still has a real problem with gay men. On the surface, it may not look like it. Underneath, it’s far more complicated,” he wrote.

Hart also revealed that he received a call from the Academy asking him to apologize for his old tweets. If not, they will find a new host for next year’s show.

“I chose to pass on the apology. The reason why I passed is that I’ve addressed this several times. This is not the first time this has come up,” he said (via Variety).