Kevin Hart Explains Why Hosting The Oscars Is Not In His Future

LOADING ERROR LOADING All jokes aside, Kevin Hart has no plans to ever host the Oscars. During an appearance on “Watch What Happens Live” on Thursday, the comedian told host Andy Cohen that hosting the Academy Awards show is “not going to happen” for him. “Kill the idea of it. It’s not going to happen,” he said, later adding that “there’s no return of good.” Advertisement Hart was tapped to host the 2019 Oscars, but he stepped down from the gig amid controversy over his old homophobic tweets and jokes that had resurfaced online shortly after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that he’d be the host.

The “Jumanji” actor initially refused to publicly apologize for his past comments, claiming that he had already done so years before. But he tweeted an apology to the LGBTQ community the following day when he announced his decision to step down. He has since expressed regret for how he handled the situation.

Hart said on “WWHL” that the Oscars has a “phenomenal stage” but that his priorities have evolved over the years. He said he once viewed hosting the show as a “notch on my belt.” “I’m far beyond and past that, so I don’t need that at this point,” he said. Advertisement Earlier in the clip, Hart had addressed the backlash fellow comedian Jo Koy received after hosting the Golden Globes last weekend.

Hart defended Koy, saying the Golden Globes is “a tough room.” “It’s an industry room where the expectation is one of, like, consequence,” he said. “Everybody’s on edge about, ‘What are you going to say about me?’ So it’s not one that’s attached to immediate laughter.” Koy was criticized after several of his jokes fell flat during the award ceremony.

He told “GMA3” the next morning that hosting the Golden Globes was a “tough gig.” Support HuffPost The Stakes Have Never Been Higher At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.

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