Ellen DeGeneres’ nearly 77 million Twitter followers appear divided on a “second chances” interview she gave with comedian Kevin Hart this week.
The host told viewers of her eponymous daytime show on Thursday that it was time for the LGBT community to let go over years-old jokes by Mr. Hart so he could possibly host the 2019 Oscars. He backed out of the hosting gig late last year after The Academy gave him an ultimatum regarding yet another apology.
“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,” she said, The Hollywood Reporter noted.
“I believe in forgiveness,” she added Friday on Twitter. “I believe in second chances. And I believe in @KevinHart4real.”
Mr. Hart told the host during his extended interview that he was through addressing the matter.
“I’ve taken ten years to put my apology to work,” he said. “I’ve yet to go back to that version of the immature comedian that once was. … I moved on. I’m a grown man. … I’m a guy who understands now.”
Many fans of Ms. DeGeneres, a long-time advocate for the LGBT community, were not placated.
“Ellen: Listen, gay people, when I need you to help me get back on TV, you’re my community but when you don’t want to watch my homophobic friend, you’re ’haters,’” wrote one viewer.
“The only thing @KevinHart4real proved by going on Ellen was that he is a terrible actor with zero genuine remorse who didn’t have the decency to address his ignorance,” said another. “No, they weren’t ’haters’ who came after you. It was the LGBTQI+ community because we’re sick to s— of it.”
“I feel like if you’re not homophobic anymore, you shouldn’t mind apologizing for your past homophobia again and again and again,” added another. “I don’t want to hear a hostile retelling of how we didn’t hear your meager apology the first time.”
An extended portion of the interview Ms. DeGeneres shared on Twitter was viewed nearly 1.4 million times.
I believe in forgiveness. I believe in second chances. And I believe in @KevinHart4real. pic.twitter.com/oJxfGXhU4P
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) January 4, 2019
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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