Ellen DeGeneres may be the most likable, least polarizing star in Hollywood.
Which is what makes the following all the most surprising to those who have followed ths comedian over the years.
On a January 2019 episode of her talk show, Ellen sat down and spoke to Kevin Hart about the controversial Tweets that forced him to resign as Oscars host, saying on air that she supports the stand-up and thinks he still deserves to emcee the Academy Awards.
If you’re not familiar with this controversy, you can catch up HERE.
And if you want to see what Ellen said and what others are now saying about her, you can scroll down…
Ellen Actually Called the Oscar Producers and Asked Them to Rehire Hart
Crazy, right? This is what Ellen said during her interview with Hart: “I called them, I said, ‘Kevin’s on, I have no idea if he wants to come back and host, but what are your thoughts?’ And they were like, ‘Oh my God, we want him to host! We feel like that maybe he misunderstood or it was handled wrong. Maybe we said the wrong thing but we want him to host. Whatever we can do we would be thrilled. And he should host the Oscars.”
He Should?
Not everyone agrees. Shortly after he was hired, numerous Tweets surfaced that Hart posted years ago. Some may think they were simply unfunny jokes, but others don’t even comprehend where the humor was supposed to be.
For Example…
Tweeted Hart in the past: “If my son comes home & try’s 2 play with my daughters doll house I’m going 2 break it over his head & say n my voice ‘stop that’s gay.'” Ummm… LOL for some reason?
There Was Also This:
“One of my biggest fears is my son growing up and being gay,” Hart said on a stand-up special.
Did Hart Apologize for These Quips?
Nope. After they were brought back up late last year, he got all defensive and bitter. with me,” he wrote on Instagram. “You LIVE and YOU LEARN & YOU GROW & YOU MATURE. Please take your negative energy and put it into something constructive.”
The Academy Then Asked Hart for a Mea Culpa
And he admits that he refused. “I’ve addressed this several times,” he said. “This is not the first time this has come up. I’ve addressed it/ I’ve spoken on it. I’ve said where the rights and wrongs were. I’ve said who I am now versus who I was then. I’ve done it. I’ve done it.”
Hart Was Not Fired
“I have made the choice to step down from hosting this year’s Oscars,” he told followers, elaborating: “This is because I do not want to be a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing talented artists.”
And Then He Did Apologize
Once he realized the extent of the backlash to these homophobic words, Hart finally said: “I sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community for my insensitive words from my past.”
Ellen, Of Course, Is a Member of This Community
And fans are aghast that she dismissed Hart’s critics as Internet “trolls.” saying on air: “As a gay person, I am sensitive to all of that. You’ve already expressed that it’s not being educated on the subject, not realizing how dangerous those words are, not realizing how many kids are killed for being gay or beaten up every day.”
She Added of Hart:
“You have grown, you have apologized, you are apologizing again right now. You’ve done it. Don’t let those people win — host the Oscars.”
Ellen Herself Hosted in 2014
She snapped the Most Liked photo of the year back then, this selfie at the ceremony.
But Folks Do NOT Like What She Has Said Here
Pretty Good Point Here
“I feel like if you’re not homophobic anymore, you shouldn’t mind apologizing for your past homophobia again and again and again. I don’t want to hear a hostile retelling of how we didn’t hear your meager apology the first time.” Right?!?
This is a Massive Betrayal
3 Main Points to Make Here
Do Not Dismiss Us as “Haters”
In His Corner
As you can see above, Ellen is not backing down from her support of Hart.
People Really Wish She Would, Though
This is an Odd Hill for Ellen to Figuratively Die On…
… because, let’s face it, who cares who hosts the Oscars?!?