Kevin Hart is facing outrage for comments he made to Lil Nas X as the rapper explained why he waited to openly come out. Hart has previously experienced condemnation for homophobic statements.
When Lil Nas X was questioned about his June tweet coming out as homosexual, he was sat in a barbershop chat for HBO Sport’s ‘The Shop: Uninterrupted.’
But just as the rapper was about to respond, Hart jumped in and added, ‘He said he was gay, so what?’
Lil Nas X responds, “It’s not like it’s being forced. I’m growing up to hate this s—. I’m not supposed to ever like this.”
“Hate what? Hate what?” the stand-up comic interrupted again.
“Homosexuality, gay people,” declared the singer of “Panini.”
“Why you growing up to hate it?” Hart enquired of the rapper.
“Homosexuality. Gay people,” Lil Nas X says, “Come on, now. If you’re really from the hood, you know.”
The rapper looked to be making a point about the challenges of being homosexual in the black community.
The Georgia native then added that he wasn’t attempting to attract attention by announcing this at such a high moment in his career.
“You know it’s for real if you’re doing it while you’re at the top,” he remarked. “It’s showing that [sexuality] doesn’t really matter.”
Many people on social media were outraged by Hart’s comments as Lil Nas X attempted to share his story, with some accusing him of being dismissive or gaslighting the rapper.
“I’m very disappointed that lil nas x was subjected to gaslighting about homophobia in this ‘conversation,’” stated Brooke C. Obie, managing editor at Shadow and Act. “He shouldn’t have had to defend himself against the obvious like this.”
“Kevin Hart acting like he doesn’t know why Lil Nas X would be scared to come out is like someone who stole the thing you lost helping you look for it,” fellow comic Phillip Henry said on Twitter.
Hart “knows exactly what the ‘so what’ is here,” according to Daily Beast editor Goldie Taylor, as well as “why a young black boy would closet his sexuality until he believed it was safe.”
“Why not simply listen, give @LilNasX the space and deference to tell his own story,” Taylor said on Twitter.
“Let a grown man answer his own damn questions Kevin,” said a third viewer.
Others on social media reminded Hart that once his earlier homophobic comments and jokes revealed, he stepped down as host of the 2019 Oscars.
Critics cited earlier tweets as proof of Hart’s homophobia, including one in which the comedian threatened to shatter a doll house over his son’s head if he displayed homosexual behavior, as well as a 2010 standup routine in which he remarked, “One of my biggest fears is my son growing up and being gay.”
Hart originally refused to apologize for his previous comments and resigned as Oscar presenter. Hart eventually apologized, claiming he wanted to “sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community” for his “insensitive words,” but he maintained his boycott of the Oscars.
Hart was hospitalized with significant back injuries following a vehicle accident in Los Angeles on Sunday, September 1. The outcry over the pre-taped show came after Hart was hospitalized with major back injuries after a car accident in Los Angeles on Sunday, September 1. The following day, his wife, Eniko Hart, stated he was “going to be just fine.”
