Kevin Hart has been in a media firestorm ever since old tweets have resurfaced of him making deplorable jokes about the LGBT community. Now the receipts are coming to the surface, showing that Hart never actually apologized, he only “addressed” the issue, as well as more problematic comments about Black women.
TMZ obtained audio from a 2014 interview with Ed Gordon where Hart was asked about the backlash he received from Black women for the disgusting joke below:
Hart said, “They want to make something out of nothing so if you give people ammunition which is a reply, a constant excuse or a constant apology, you are setting yourself up for more comments.”
Gordon continued, “But you know we are very sensitive when it comes to color. They are going to say, ‘Well, you drew a line to homosexuality, why didn’t you draw a line at us?’”
Hart then addresses “homosexuality” but did not apologize. He simply said he doesn’t make jokes about gay people because it will hurt his career.
“Here is why I draw a line at homosexuality. Homosexuality is in a place where it’s not a joke to them and I don’t even like to use the word ‘them,’” he said. “The words and terms that were used at a certain point in time are considered slander, considered violence and due to the fact that all of the hate crimes that have been had, all of the verbal attacks the people have had, whether that be in school whether that be in a work environment, it’s blown up to a bigger thing. I personally don’t think it’s funny. I don’t joke about it.. I don’t want that problem I don’t need any enemies at all. And I’ve seen comedians that have said things… it can throw you under the bus you’ll be in that check cashing line you don’t want that problem.”
Listen below:
Despite reports to the contrary, there doesn’t appear to be anything on record showing Hart ever apologize for his homophobic comments, which included telling someone they look like a “gay billboard for AIDS.”
In 2015, Hart told Rolling Stone about his homophobic jokes.
“I wouldn’t tell that joke today, because when I said it, the times weren’t as sensitive as they are now,” he said t the time. “I think we love to make big deals out of things that aren’t necessarily big deals, because we can.”
Saying people are too “sensitive” is far from an apology. Hart’s first apology to the LGBTQ community was reportedly on Friday after he stepped down from hosting the Oscars (even though he said just hours before he wouldn’t apologize).
As for his jokes about dark-skinned Black women, Hart appears to have always doubled down. See one of his tweets below from 2014:
Sounds like Hart has some serious atonement to do — especially from someone who refused to talk about politics but happily slammed dark-skinned women and the LGBTQ community.
