Kevin Hart is urging the LGBTQ community to accept his apology.
The 39-year-old actor and comedian who withdrew himself as host of the upcoming 2019 Academy Awards after his past homophobic tweets resurfaced has now offered another apology.
Speaking on his SiriusXM show “Straight from the Hart” on Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, he said: “Once again, Kevin Hart apologizes for his remarks that hurt members of the LGBTQ community. I apologize.”
The Night School star went on to explain he had revisited his tweets, as well as his 2010 comedy set on “Seriously Funny” in which he made homophobic jokes, as he claims he now understands how his material can “hurt” people.
He continued: “We thought it was OK to talk like that [in the past], because that’s how we talked to one another. … This is wrong now. Because now we’re in a space where I’m around people of the LGBTQ community, and I’m now aware of how these words make them feel, and why they say ‘That s— hurt because of what I’ve been through.’
“So then we say, ‘Hey, man, as a group, let’s erase this s—. We don’t talk like this no more. Hey, let’s not do this. We don’t post this s**t on social media.’”
Hart hopes the LGBTQ community will “accept” the fact that he’s “changed” since he made the tweets in 2008.
He said: “I’m not debating right from wrong. I’ve already stated it’s wrong. But, the other side of it is this: If the fight from the LGBTQ community is equality, that’s the fight. The fight is the will and wants for equality. I’m riding with you guys. I understand you. But in the fight for equality, that means that there has to be an acceptance for change.
“If you don’t want to accept people for their change, then where are you trying to get to the equal part? Where does the equality part come in? Because all of the people that have done wrong are the people that — you want their attention to say, ‘This is why we want you to change, so we don’t feel the way that we feel.’ And those people go ’S—. I used to f—— be this way, guys, I’m not anymore. I’m sorry.’ But then they go, ‘But you didn’t say it right. Saying, ‘I’m sorry,’ you didn’t say ‘Sorry, sorry, sorry.’ But no, wait, guys, I just said ‘I’m sorry.’ ‘Not the way you should have! What does that mean?’ And then they break down the way things should be said.”
And the comedian then claimed the response he received even after apologizing once was a form of “bullying” as he urged people to be “accepting of people and change.”
He said: “And now it turns into, you’re bullying them because now, now that I said what I said the way that I would say it because I’m me, you’re now trying to change me into becoming what version of me you want me to be.
“I don’t think it’s wrong for people to have their own personal beliefs. I think that in the times that we’re living in, we have to be understanding and accepting of people and change. Bottom line.”
His comments come after he told Ellen Degeneres that he was reconsidering his position as host of the Oscars, as the award show — which takes place next month — has yet to find a replacement host.
