Kevin Hart has pulled out of his Oscars hosting duties following a controversy over tweets and comments perceived to be homophobic.
A few days ago, the comedian described his selection as Oscars’ host as the “opportunity of a lifetime”.
Following the announcement, tweets perceived to contain homophobic slur surfaced, and the comedian came under immense criticism.
On Friday, Hart responded with an apology to the LGBTQ community over his “insensitive words” and announced that he will no longer host the Academy Awards.
The 39-year-old comedian wrote: “I have made the choice to step down from hosting this year’s Oscar’s … this is because I do not want to be a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing talented artists.
“I sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community for my insensitive words from my past.
“I’m sorry that I hurt people.. I am evolving and want to continue to do so. My goal is to bring people together not tear us apart. Much love & appreciation to the Academy. I hope we can meet again.
“I work hard on a daily basis to spread positivity to ll… with that being said, if you want to search my history or past and anger yourselves with what you find, that is fine with me.
“I’m almost 50 years old and I’m in love with the man that I am becoming. You live and you learn and you grow and you mature.”
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