UPDATE: The Academy has given Kevin Hart an ultimatum: apologize for his old homophobic tweets or step down as host of next February's Oscars. However, in a video just posted on Instagram, Hart has said he will not apologize:
"I chose to pass, I passed on the apology. The reason why I passed is that I’ve addressed it several times. This is not the first time this has come up. I’ve addressed it, I’ve spoken on it. I’ve said what the rights and wrongs were. I’ve said who I am now versus who I was then. " he said. "I’ve done it, I’ve done it. I’m not going to continue to go back and tap into the days of old. I’ve moved on, I’m in a completely different space in my life. The same energy that went into finding those old tweets, could be the same energy to find a response to the questions that have been asked years after years after years."
"We feed internet trolls and reward them. I’m not going to do it man. I’m going to be me and I’m going to stand my ground," Hart added. "Regardless, to the Academy, I'm thankful for the opportunity, if it goes away, no harm, no foul."
ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Not a good time to be Kevin Hart at the moment. Multiple homophobic tweets, written by Hart, have resurfaced in the wake of his announcement as the host of next February's Oscars.
In one 2011 tweet, the comedian writes, "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.'" In another tweet, dated from 2010, Hart says someone's profile pic looked "like a gay bill board for AIDS." And in another one written in 2009, he calls someone a "fat faced fag."
The comedian immediately responded with a rather odd Instagram post, where he appeared shirtless in bed, on Thursday evening. Hart remained defiant, refusing to apologize for what he said back in the day, saying he's evolved and changed. In the video Hart says, "I swear, man, our world is becoming beyond crazy. I'm not going to let the craziness frustrate me or anger me, especially when I worked hard to get to the mental space that I am at now."
Through it all, Hart does not apologize for what he said in the past, “Guys, I’m almost 40 years old,” Hart said in the video. “If you don’t believe that people change, grow, evolve as they 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, man.”
Actor-comedian Billy Eichner condemned Hart by saying "You can tell its not just a joke — there's real truth, anger & fear behind these. I hope Kevin's thinking has evolved since 2011."
Journalist Mark Harris tweeted that the Academy choosing Hart as host was "out-of-sync for a year in which Rami Malek, Melissa McCarthy, Olivia Colman, Mahershala Ali, Richard E. Grant, Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz and Lucas Hedges could all get nominated for playing LBGTQ characters."
"Pose" star Indya Moore penned a lengthy Twitter thread that criticized Hart for "sexualizing" his son the 2011 stand-up act, adding, "Your choice to prevent your child from being 'gay' is fear driven. You ARE homophobic Kevin."
"You @KevinHart4real are NOT FIT a model, or representative to Host for the @TheAcademy which CELEBRATES & WELCOMES talent of all genders, sexualities, & ethnicities," Moore continued.
GLAAD even chimed into the melee as they announced that they have reached out to ABC, the Academy and Kevin Hart’s management to "discuss his rhetoric and record as well as opportunities for positive LGBTQ inclusion on the Oscars stage," according to Rich Ferraro, chief communications officer for GLAAD. None of the parties have responded yet.
Criterion's December lineup has some great additions to the library, but the title that jumped out at me is Werner Herzog's "Grizzly Man," which officially joins the Collection on December 8.