Days after the Film Academy announced that Kevin Hart would be presenting the 2019 Academy Awards, the comedian has stepped down. The decision follows a series of homophobic tweets Hart penned some years ago resurfacing on social media.
Explaining his decision to bow out of the Oscars, Hart issued a public apology that stated he felt his presence would be "a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing talented artists."
However, Hart's Twitter apology may feel a little thin to some considering it arrived hours after he posted the below video to Instagram. In the video, the comedian runs through the reasons why he felt like he could "pass" when the Academy asked him to apologize.
“I just got a call from the Academy...that said, ‘Kevin, apologize for your tweets of old or we’re going to have to move on and find another host;'" Hart said, before adding, "I chose to pass on the apology. The reason why I passed is because I’ve addressed this several times." Watch below.
In better entertainment news, HBO has shared the first teaser for 'Game of Thrones' season 8.
