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The 2019 Academy Awards is Host-less. The Academy initially chose Actor-comedian Kevin Hart to host this year’s Academy Awards Show. However, soon after their announcement Tweets and YouTube videos of Kevin’s standup routines surfaced from 2008 on Social Media. They were without a doubt: homophobic. Social Media outcry arose. Kevin dismissed the haters, saying that he had already apologized in the past. He said, “I’m done.” Well, he was done. The Academy withdrew Kevin as Host.
Yes, Kevin was the victim of Social Media trolls who revel in the demise of anyone’s success. Yet, is Kevin absolved of his past actions? Not entirely. I believe that Kevin is a good man. I have mad love for him. But he just didn’t get it. Yet. He didn’t listen to this audience. He didn’t listen from his heart. Yes, pun intentional.
I thought about what he did in context. Say for example that the Academy Awards were so fucking desperate and said, “Hey, Jon we want you to host to the 91st Academy Awards?” Yeah, ridiculous, but stay with me here.
Then soon as I said “Yes,” YouTube videos surfaced on Facebook. Several of my friends from high school remembered that I often used the homophobic slur—that other f-word—when I was 16 years old. Well, they would be right. I could say that I was young and stupid at the time, and I would be right, more or less. However, here’s the deal: It wasn’t right back then, and it’s not right now.
I went to an all-boys private school. Some of my classmates and friends were gay but felt they could not “come out”. Truly, I didn’t know at the time. They didn’t have the freedom nor the luxury of being who they were. Years later a couple of my classmates died of AIDS. One had had a gender reassignment. Others came out and thrived in life, which was so awesome to see.
Being young and stupid is one thing. But irresponsible words hurt, regardless. It matters very little if I was joking or not.
I can’t go back and “unsay” what I said. I’m sorry for what I said. I believe that I’ve become a greater man for those mistakes and misspoken words. And enduring my own trials and circumstances, I’ve learned that I have to be kind to others, and kinder to me as well. I have to have compassion. I truly don’t know what another person is going through inside.
The world is constantly changing, and perhaps I’ve done the same. If I could say anything to Kevin: It’s far greater to get over yourself. And I would know.
In all of this, I hope that the 2019 Academy Awards recognizes the greatness in film, the diversity of culture and people, and acknowledges that we all have something inside that people want to hear.
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Lisa – I love the subtitle!