Kevin Hart is done talking about the Oscars and the backlash he received after recently resurfaced homophobic tweets.
The comedian appeared on Good Morning America Wednesday, where he firmly denied hosting the Academy Awards.
“I’m not hosting the Oscars this year,” Hart said.
The Upside star went on to add that he will no longer address the controversy around since-deleted and dated homophobic tweets, saying he’s “over it.”
“If I didn’t say that I addressed it way back then in 2008, 2009 then I would get it, but I know I did,” Hart said, adding that he also addressed the tweets prior to appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show last week, where he talked about the tweets once again.
The comedian, who at some points during the interview seemed defiant, said that the backlash he and Ellen DeGeneres received after his appearance on her talk show proves “that there is no ending to it.”
“If you keep feeding this energy then it’s going to grow,” Hart told co-anchor Michael Strahan. “You’re not getting no more of my energy from it. I’m not giving no more.”
Hart’s reaction to the resurfaced tweets and the controversy around them has left many disappointed.
Last week, CNN’s Don Lemon, who identifies as gay, said Hart hadn’t done enough to atone for his comments.
“That was a joke to Kevin, but the truth is that is a reality for many little boys in the United States,” Lemon said. “Many of us really need to keep the conversation going – it’s life or death. Someone like Kevin Hart, with one of the biggest megaphones in the world, can be a leader, the ultimate change agent.”
For now, however, it seems Hart is happy to ignore the valid criticism he’s received and pass on an opportunity that doesn’t come around too often.
