Just two days after being named host of the Academy Awards, Kevin Hart stepped down following an outcry over past homophobic tweets by the comedian.
Capping a swift and dramatic fallout, Hart wrote on Twitter just after midnight Friday that he was withdrawing as Oscars host because he didn鈥檛 want to be a distraction. 鈥淚 sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community for my insensitive words from my past,鈥� wrote Hart.
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Hart stepped aside just about an hour after refusing to apologize for tweets that resurfaced after he was announced as Oscars host on Tuesday. In a video on Instagram, Hart said the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences gave him an ultimatum: apologize or 鈥渨e鈥檙e going to have to move on and find another host.鈥�
鈥淚 chose to pass on the apology,鈥� Hart said. 鈥淭he reason why I passed is because I鈥檝e addressed this several times.鈥�
The film academy didn鈥檛 respond to messages Thursday evening.
Hart has since deleted some of the anti-gay tweets, mostly dated from 2009-2011. But they had already been screen-captured and been shared online. In 2011, he wrote in a since-deleted tweet: 鈥淵o if my son comes home & try鈥檚 2 play with my daughters doll house I鈥檓 going 2 break it over his head & say n my voice 鈥榮top that鈥檚 gay.鈥�
In an earlier post Thursday, Hart wrote on Instagram that critics should 鈥渟top being negative鈥� about his earlier anti-gay remarks.
鈥淚鈥檓 almost 40 years old. If you don鈥檛 believe that people change, grow, evolve? I don鈥檛 know what to tell you,鈥� said Hart, who added, in all-caps: 鈥淚 love everybody.鈥�
Hart鈥檚 attitudes about homosexuality were also a well-known part of his stand-up act. In the 2010 special 鈥淪eriously Funny,鈥� he said 鈥渙ne of my biggest fears is my son growing up and being gay.鈥�
鈥淜eep in mind, I鈥檓 not homophobic, I have nothing against gay people, do what you want to do, but me, being a heterosexual male, if I can prevent my son from being gay, I will,鈥� Hart said.
GLAAD, the advocacy group for LGBTQ rights, said Thursday that it reached out to Oscars broadcaster ABC, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and Hart鈥檚 management to 鈥渄iscuss Kevin鈥檚 anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and record.鈥�
Comedian and actor Billy Eichner said 鈥渁 simple, authentic apology showing any bit of understanding or remorse would have been so simple.鈥�
It鈥檚 not the first time an Oscars host has been derailed by anti-gay remarks. Ahead of the 2012 Academy Awards, producer Brett Ratner, who had been paired with host Eddie Murphy, resigned days after using a gay slur at a film screening. Murphy soon after exited, as well.
That year, a tried-and-true Oscars veteran 鈥� Billy Crystal 鈥� jumped in to save the show, hosting for his eighth time. This time, speculation has already been rampant that few in Hollywood want the gig, for which few win glowing reviews.
The film academy moved up this year鈥檚 ceremony to Feb. 24, giving producers little time to find a replacement.
The Associated Press
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