Ellen DeGeneres Facing Backlash Over Kevin Hart Interview

Kevin Hart, Ellen DeGeneres

Ellen DeGeneres Receives Backlash For Suggesting Kevin Hart Reconsider Hosting the Oscars

Ellen DeGeneres has received backlash for standing alongside Kevin Hart in the midst of his drama between the LGBTQIA+ community, in addition to encouraging him to reconsider hosting the 2019 Oscars, following a new interview.

In 2018, Hart was announced to be hosting the Oscars, but his then-current-success was shadowed by his immature past, as 10 year-old homophobically charged tweets were brought forward, once again. As a consequence of the reemergence, the Academy requested Hart apologize about the tweets or they would be forced to find a new host. Hart subsequently released a video to social media, responding to the backlash and admitting he would be stepping down from the Oscars.

While on the “The Ellen Show” Hart spoke his piece, affirming how he’s apologized in the past about the tweets and how hosting the Oscars was a goal of his.

I got a vision board and on that vision board, it’s so many things I want to do and I check off as they get done, and Oscars was up there. Oscars was one of the highest of highs, simply because, there hasn’t been a lot of African-American comedians that I’ve been able to do it. I would have been the fourth.

Adding, when the tweets resurfaced, his initial call-to-action was to ignore it; thinking,

This stuff is 10 years old. This is stuff I’ve addressed. I’ve talked about this. This isn’t new, I’ve addressed it. I’ve apologized for it. I’m not going to pay it any mind, because when you feed into that stuff, you only add more fuel to the fire.

I believe in forgiveness. I believe in second chances. And I believe in @KevinHart4real. pic.twitter.com/oJxfGXhU4P

— The Ellen Show (@TheEllenShow) January 4, 2019

While Hart spoke his thoughts about the ordeal so candidly, DeGeneres is now receiving backlash from the LGBTQIA+ community for being apologetic towards Hart’s sentiments. Social media assumes the talk show host is taking on the responsibility as a speaker for the sub-community which was originally affected by Hart’s tweets, black queer men.

One Twitter user suggested,

Ellen doesn’t get to speak for an entire community. Nobody wants Kevin Hart hosting the Oscars until he genuinely apologizes. Newsflash @KevinHart4real ‘I’m sorry if those words hurt you’ =/= ‘I’m sorry for my mistakes and I hope to learn/grow as an ally to the LGBT community’

While another,

How much does white lesbian Ellen care about Black queer boys? Kevin Hart said way more than “i’d rather my son not be gay” on multiple occasions. Saying you’d beat your son over the head with a heavy object to stop him from being gay is a big deal. Does she not know about that??

As another simply put,

What Ellen did is a disgrace.

Observe the rest of reactions below.

Since the airing of this interview, Hart is now reconsidering hosting the 2019 Oscars.