‘Insensitive’ tweets from several years ago led to Hart’s departure

Kevin Hart is stepping down from hosting the Oscars, after tweets about homosexuals from him came to the surface Dec. 6. The tweets were from 2009-2011.

Hart shared on Twitter Dec. 6, “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.”

His Twitter handle is @KevinHart4Real.

Hart had previously called hosting the Oscars “the opportunity of a lifetime.”

He said on social media that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had asked him to apologize for his derogatory tweets, but that he saw apologizing as “feeding the internet trolls,” and stepped down from hosting instead.

Comedian Hart’s film work includes Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Night School.

The Oscars celebrate the finest in film. ABC will air the telecast Feb. 24.