Fans expecting Kevin Hart to host the Oscars will be disappointed.
The comedian informed Andy Cohen on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live on Thursday that the performance is “not going to happen.”
Hart, 44, responded, “Kιll the idea of it, it’s not going to happen,” after Cohen said he was “still ready” to host the Academy Awards. The in-studio audience applauded.
“There’s just no return of good,” Hart said. “How does it benefit me? Nothing good is happening now. Not for any other reason.”
Hart was scheduled to emcee the 91st Oscars in 2018, but he resigned citing social media homophobia. The Academy chose no host for the 2019 ceremony.According to Cohen, 55, “Some would call it a thankless job,” which Oscar-winning comedians like Richard Pryor, Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, Jon Stewart, and Chris Rock have done.
“Some would,” Hart said. “But you can’t dismiss the Oscars stage. The stage is amazing, with milliоns of views.”
The Lift star said, “I think at a point in my career, it was something that acted as a bump and want, just to get a notch in my belt of something else I was able to obtain and view. I’ve gone far beyond that. But I don’t need that now.”
In addition to his big movies and comedy tours, Hart hosted the BET, MTV Video Music, and MTV Movie Awards. He will receive the 25th Mark Twain Prize for American Humor on March 24.
Following his What What Happens Live appearance, the comedian told Sky News on Friday that the Oscars were off the table.
“Whatever little hope you had, I want to destrоy it right now,” he told the outlet. “Those gigs are bad for comics. It’s no Oscar, Globe, or other award shot. These circumstances are no longer conducive to comedy. This is no longer a comic’s room.”
Hart issued a statement to the LGBTQ+ community after leaving the Oscars in 2018 for the resurfacing of the tweets. “I do not want to be a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing talented artists,” he wrote. “I sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community for my past insensitive words.”
After vowing in an Instagram video to ignore the Academy’s apology request, he made that announcement an hour later. “I know who I am and so do the people closest to me,” Hart added.
I didn’t apologize because I’ve addressed this multiple times. This has happened before. I addressed it. I discussed it. I indicated right and incorrect. I’ve contrasted my past and present.”
The Me Time star discussed Sunday Golden Globes host Jo Koy with Cohen. “That’s a tough room,” Hart added. “This is an industry room with consequence expectations. So everyone worries, ‘What are you going to sаy about me?’”
The Netflix action-comedy Lift stars Hart, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Sam Worthington. The comedian’s other recent streamer release is the documentary Kevin Hart & Chris Rock: Headliners Only.
