Getty/Michael Rozman/Warner Bros.
Piers Morgan, however, takes the chance to call out "liberal celebrity hypocrisy."
Kevin Hart was one of the top Twitter trends all day on Friday, thanks to a show of support from Ellen DeGeneres during a new interview.
On Friday's show, Ellen had what she called an "incredible and honest conversation" with the comedian, who quit his gig hosting the Academy Awards after old, homophobic tweets of his were resurfaced online.
Warner Bros.
Kevin Hart Could Still Host the Oscars, Talks Homophobic Tweets Controversy on 'Ellen'
View StoryDeGeneres surprised many by supporting Hart, explaining how she personally called the Academy to see if they would take him back. Calling Hart's critics "haters," she said seeing him host would show "sophistication, class, hilarity and you growing as a person."
Hart called the controversy "a malicious attack on my character" while talking to Ellen, doubling down on claims he previously apologized for his comments -- an apology nobody was ever able to find.
As the entire interview went viral, both DeGeneres and Hart were met with more criticism on Twitter, where many in the gay community expressed disappointment in Ellen in particular.
There were only a handful of celebrities who chimed in on the subject, as both Rob Schneider and William Shatner said they sided with DeGeneres' POV.
I support @TheEllenShow supporting @KevinHart4real
@RobSchneider
Comics are the ones who are supposed to say the horrible things we all think but don't.
@KevinHart4real we don't know each other and I'm just a voice in wind. I read what @TheEllenShow said and I agree with what Ellen said. THEY win if you don't do what your heart wants because of their bullying. Don't let them dictate you & your life. Host the Oscars. 🙏🏻. Bill
@WilliamShatner
On the flip side, Piers Morgan used the opportunity to criticize Ellen for what he sees as "liberal celebrity hypocrisy."
Very big of her.
@piersmorgan
Of course, if Trump had said the homophobic things Kevin Hart tweeted, Ellen would have led the furious unforgiving 'woke' rage against him.
Liberal celebrity hypocrisy is such a limitless vibe. https://t.co/bvr7oZi0hU
The women of "The View" also sounded off on the controversy:
ABC
'The View' Split Over Whether Kevin Hart Should Host Oscars After Ellen Appearance
View StorySee more Twitter outrage from journalists, activists and more below:
Ellen's show is basically the embodiment of respectability politics, so using it as a platform to absolve Kevin Hart on our behalf sounds pretty much on brand. Her sitcom allowed her to do something radical, which she suffered for, & she's been running away from that ever since.
@bortlb
Kevin Hart whines he didn't even get 24 hours to celebrate his Oscars bid before his tweets resurfaced.
@sbstryker
Fighting for ones' identity as an LGBTQ person is a lifelong battle that never, ever ends.
Shame on Ellen for caping for a man who never should set foot on the Oscars stage. https://t.co/uojtrqLjSX
(1) First, the people who brought up Kevin Hart's past tweets — like me — were not, as Ellen characterized, "haters." The host of the Oscars had made anti-gay jokes, and LGBT people who love the Oscars were legitimately startled to see just how harsh his words were. It wasn't a…
@adambvary
My thoughts on Ellen and this absolving of Kevin Hart. pic.twitter.com/tn7Amh6oDv
@IamGMJohnson
"As a Black queer someone who, when my body began to manifest aspects of my identity — a sway in my walk, a bend in my wrist — was punched in the chest by Black men in my family, Ellen can't and doesn't speak for me." https://t.co/QBK9068s42
@pfpicardi
This is wrong. To a certain type of celebrity, the internet is a "mob," critics are "haters," and those who think someone with a long history of homophobic statements shouldn't host the Oscars are standing in the way of a dream. >https://t.co/yVn5OOI1Jh
@MarkHarrisNYC
In light of Ellen absolving Kevin Hart for his history of homophobic remarks, this seems like a good time to reiterate that no one member of a marginalized identity can forgive a bigot on behalf of the entire group.
@brosandprose
I think it's great that Ellen has found it in her heart to forgive Kevin Hart, and that's a powerful thing to witness. But I think the implication that he is now "forgiven" by all of us isn't fair, and I'd like to see his continued plans to work with and for the community.
@pfpicardi
I expected Ellen to actually ask Kevin Hart some sort of challenging question. Anything, really. But instead, it was just one long monologue from Kevin interspersed with Ellen's approval. That interview made me miss the previous talk show hosts that asked tough questions.
@deray
(1) First, the people who brought up Kevin Hart's past tweets — like me — were not, as Ellen characterized, "haters." The host of the Oscars had made anti-gay jokes, and LGBT people who love the Oscars were legitimately startled to see just how harsh his words were. It wasn't a…
@adambvary
(2) …mob of people out to get Kevin Hart. It was a group of people who wanted to understand Hart's thinking about those hurtful tweets & his stand-up jokes.
@adambvary
Second, in his Ellen interview, Hart referenced apologizing for his past during the GET HARD junket. Well…
(3) …when @louisvirtel asked Hart about the vaguely homophobic jokes in GET HARD, like Hart affecting an effeminate voice to evoke fear of prison rape, Hart's response was, "Funny is funny." That may be a legit perspective; it isn't an apology. https://t.co/z92Bslbdhr
@adambvary
(4) Third, Hart argued that the fact that his old tweets were found so quickly is evidence of a malicious attack to destroy him personally, b/c people had to go through over 40k tweets to get back to his old ones from 2010 and 2011 (rather than 2008, as he kept saying). Well…
@adambvary
(5) …Hart may not be aware, but Twitter has a search function that allows anyone to search anyone else's history. So if you're curious if a standup comic hired to host the Oscars had used homophobic language in the past, it takes 10 seconds to find out. https://t.co/FQS89q3o6e
@adambvary
(6) Finally, it's depressing that Ellen's enthusiasm for Hart hosting the Oscars — and he would've been a good host! — led her to contribute to a narrative that Hart is the victim of "haters" & "trolls" out to "destroy" him, & if he doesn't host the Oscars, they'll "win." Well…
@adambvary
(7) …if @TheAcademy wants to hire Hart back after he made the simple act of apologizing for hurtful, harmful, anti-gay language into a vicious conspiracy to ruin his entire life, I'm not sure who "wins" in that scenario, either. (END)
@adambvary
DeGeneres -- or someone at her show -- clearly caught wind of the backlash, as her account later tweeted out, "However you feel about this, the only positive way through it is to talk about it. Thank you for being here, @KevinHart4real."
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