The Academy Awards producers might just give up on finding a new host for the 2019 ceremony after the fallout with Kevin Hart.
According to Variety, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has not been able to find a replacement for Hart after the comedian stepped down from hosting duties over resurfaced homophobic statements
Now producers are wondering if to even have a host at all. Instead, they are considering “a bunch of huge celebs, something SNL style, and buzzy people.”
Hart decided to step down after mounting pressure from the LGBTQ community. He initially tried to dismiss the controversy in a video shared on Instagram Thursday. He began a lengthy caption of that video with, “Stop looking for reasons to be negative.”
Later that day he revealed that he’d stepped down after telling his fans that the Academy called to tell him to apologize or “we’re going to have to move on and find another host.”
“I have made the choice to step down from hosting this year’s Oscar’s,” he tweeted Thursday. “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 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.
According to Variety, the Academy was taken by surprise by Hart’s refusal to apologize, and his decision to step down left them flat footed.
The 91st annual Academy Awards will be held on February 24, 2019.
