Kevin Hart spoke out against so-called cancel culture and why he is not a fan.
During an interview with the Sunday Times in the UK, Hart, 41, boldly laid out why he doesn’t agree with “canceling” people after making mistakes.
“When did we get to a point where life was supposed to be perfect?” the actor told the outlet. “Where people were supposed to operate perfectly all the time? I don’t understand.”
Back in 2018, the actor and comedian stepped down as a host of the Academy Awards after previous tweets that he had posted used disparaging language referring to people in the LGBTQ+ community. In the wake of the controversy surrounding Hart, the Oscars decided to altogether avoid the potential of another scandal by moving ahead with no host at all.
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In his new interview, Hart explained how he didn’t let the backlash from the incident affect him.
“If somebody has done something truly damaging then, absolutely, a consequence should be attached,” Hart said. “But when you just talk about… nonsense? When you’re talking, ‘Someone said! They need to be taken [down]!’ Shut the **** up! What are you talking about?”
The comedian, actor and star of the upcoming Netflix film "Fatherhood" said that although he has been canceled about "three or four times," he doesn't let it get to him mentally.
“If you allow it to have an effect on you, it will,” he said. “Personally? That’s not how I operate. I understand people are human.”
Instead of canceling people in our society, Hart wants others to allow people to grow from their mistakes.
“Everyone can change,” he said. “It’s like jail. People get locked up so they can be taught a lesson. When they get out, they are supposed to be better.”
But as Hart sees it, the focus on "punishment" makes it challenging for people "to change."
“That was my punishment — how do you not give those people a shot? They’re saying that all life should be over because of a mistake? Your life should end and there should be no opportunity to change? What are you talking about? And who are you to make that decision?” he said.
Hart also touched on what he perceives as the challenges for himself as a comedian.
"I can’t be the comic today that I was when I got into this," Hart said, before saying that "backlash" against off-color jokes of his came without critics considering the "intent" behind them.
"It’s about the intent behind what you say — there’s an assumption it’s always bad and, somehow, we forgot comedians are going for the laugh," Hart told the outlet. "You’re not saying something to make people angry. That’s not why I’m on stage. I’m trying to make you laugh and if I did not make you laugh I failed. That’s my consequence.”
Hart also explained that ultimately, certain tweets or jokes from his past were not representative of who he is today.
"If people want to pull up stuff, go back to the same tweets of old, go ahead," Hart said. "There is nothing I can do. You’re looking at a younger version of myself. A comedian trying to be funny and, at that attempt, failing. Apologies were made. I understand now how it comes off. I look back and cringe. So it’s growth. It’s about growth.”
“Fatherhood” premieres on Netflix this week.
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