Outcry was swift after Kevin Hart's old tweets resurfaced.
Just days after announcing he was going to host the Oscars, Kevin Hart dropped out after backlash for past homophobic tweets.
Hart's speedy downfall was head-spinning.
Earlier this week, he was thrilled to be announced as 2019's host. “I am blown away simply because this has been a goal on my list for a long time,” the 39-year-old comic said at the time. “To be able to join the legendary list of hosts that have graced the stage is unbelievable.”
But on Wednesday, things started to take a turn. The British newspaper The Guardian uncovered old tweets and ran the story, “Oscars Host Kevin Hart's Homophobia Is No Laughing Matter.”
On Thursday, Hart, who was in Sydney, Australia, posted a defiant video saying, “I'm almost 40 years old. If you don’t believe people change, grow, evolve as they get older, I don’t know what to tell you.”
But the outcry got louder, and critics then pointed out a comment from 2010 in which Hart said he wanted to prevent his son from being gay.
“I have nothing against gay people. Be happy. Do what you want to do. Me being a heterosexual male, if I can prevent my son from being gay, I will,” he said.
By early Friday morning, Hart had apologized and announced to the world that he was stepping down as Oscars host.
“I have made the choice to step down from hosting this year's Oscar's," he wrote. "This is because I do not want to be a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing talented artists.
"I sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community for my insensitive words from my past," he added.
Some of the big names reportedly under consideration to replace him are Jimmy Kimmel, Ellen DeGeneres, Hugh Jackman, Chris Rock, and Jon Stewart — all of whom have hosted before. But none seem interested in doing it again.
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