Kevin Hart to host the Oscars
Hollywood Nation: Funnyman Kevin Hart is named master of ceremonies for the 91st Academy Awards ceremony.
Kevin Hart has responded to the controversy surrounding his past social media posts. The tweets, which include homophobic expressions, recently resurfaced following the actor-comedian's announcement earlier this week that he would host the 2019 Oscars.
On Thursday, the 39-year-old star went on Instagram to write a lengthy post telling people to "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," he continued.
"I am truly happy people ... there is nothing that you can do to change that ... NOTHING. I work hard on a daily basis to spread positivity to all ... with that being said. If u want to search my history or past and anger yourselves with what u find that is fine with me.
"I’m almost 40 years old and I’m in love with the man I am becoming," Hart added. "You LIVE and YOU LEARN & YOU GROW & YOU MATURE. I live to Love. .... Please take your negative energy and put it into something constructive.
"Please....What's understood should never have to be said. I LOVE EVERYBODY.....ONCE AGAIN EVERYBODY. If you choose to not believe me then that's on you....Have a beautiful day."
In the post's video, Hart, who is seen lying shirtless in bed, says: "I swear man, our world is becoming beyond crazy and I'm not going to let the craziness frustrate me or anger me especially when I've worked hard to get to the mental space that I am at now. My team calls me: ‘Oh my god, Kevin the world is upset about tweets you did years ago.'
"Guys, I'm almost 40 years old. If you don’t believe that people change, grow, evolve as they get older, I don’t know what to tell you.
He concluded: "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. I'm in a great place. A great mature place where all I do is spread positivity. If you're not doing that, you're not on my page."
Kevin Hart took to Instagram on Thursday after old tweets resurfaced that included homophobic expressions. The newly announced Oscars host has been accused of deleting the tweets after it was revealed he was set to host the 2019 Academy Awards. (Getty, File)
Multiple reports have accused Hart of deleting offending tweets after it was revealed he was set to host the 2019 Academy Awards on Tuesday.
According to E! Online, one of the deleted tweets in question reads: "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.'"
Per the outlet, the post was from 2011, and the "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" co-star allegedly deleted it on Wednesday or Thursday.
Buzzfeed reports that Benjamin Lee, an editor for the U.K.'s Guardian, was one of the first to address Hart's controversial posts, writing on Wednesday, "I wonder when Kevin Hart is gonna start deleting all his old tweets."
Lee also shared screenshots of now reportedly deleted tweets from Hart, in which the actor called someone a "fat f-g" and asked why a social media user's profile photo looks "like a gay bill board (sic) for AIDS."
As noted by Rolling Stone, Hart previously said during his 2010 "Seriously Funny" stand-up that "one of my biggest fears is my son growing up and being gay."
"That’s a fear. Keep in mind," Hart shared, adding: "I’m not homophobic. ... Be happy. Do what you want to do. But me, as a heterosexual male, if I can prevent my son from being gay, I will.”
Neither Hart's reps nor the Academy immediately responded to Fox News' request for comment.
Following the social media posts, GLAAD wrote on Twitter stating they have reached out to Hart's team, as well as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and ABC, which is broadcasting this year's show "to discuss Kevin's anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and record as well as opportunities for positive LGBTQ inclusion on the Oscars stage."
On Tuesday, Hart revealed that he would be hosting the 2019 Oscars, sharing an Instagram photo of an Academy Award statue.
“For years I have been asked if I would ever Host the Oscars and my answer was always the same…I said that it would be the opportunity of a lifetime for me as a comedian and that it will happen when it’s suppose to,” he captioned the picture.
“I am so happy to say that the day has finally come for me to host the Oscars," Hart continued. "I am blown away simply because this has been a goal on my list for a long time….To be able to join the legendary list of host that have graced that stage is unbelievable."
“I know my mom is smiling from ear to ear right now. I want to thank my family/friends/fans for supporting me & riding with me all this time… . I will be sure to make this years Oscars a special one. I appreciate the @TheAcademy for the opportunity … now it’s time to rise to the occasion #Oscars," he concluded.
Last May, Hart — he'd be taking over hosting duties from Jimmy Kimmel — expressed interest in taking on the hosting role for the Oscars.
“It would be something I would definitely do just to say I did it in my career,” he told Variety at the time. “It would be great to say I had that moment.”
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