Amid the controversy of Kevin Hart stepping down as host of the 2019 Oscars following a backlash over homophobic tweets, it looks like the Academy is having a hard time finding a comedian to replace him.
For those who haven't been following, the Jumanji reboot actor was announced as the host for Hollywood's most prestigious awards on Tuesday, only for homophobic tweets he'd made dating as far back as 2009 to resurface.
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The comedian decided to stand down from the position as he does 'not want to be a distraction'.
Now organisers are reportedly struggling finding a replacement for the job, which has been described as 'the most thankless job in town'.
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Insiders told the Daily Mail that celebrities don't want the job as it places 'a target on your back', just like it did with Hart.
Matthew Belloni, the editorial director of The Hollywood Reporter, said: "Oscars host has become a not very desirable job in Hollywood. Very few people see an upside. You put a huge target on your back.
Speaking about Hart, the editor added: "He checks all the boxes for a show like the Oscars. He's a legitimate movie star. He's a funny guy and can handle the stand-up element of the show. And he has a gigantic social following.
"And to the academy, that's important. They want someone who can bring a new audience to the show."
However, Belloni went on to describe how the Academy weren't thorough enough for the selection process.
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He said: "I think it's embarrassing. It shows that they either didn't vet this host properly, or they did vet him and didn't think this would be an issue. And both are a little troubling."
As soon as Hart was announced as host on Tuesday, journalists started Tweeting reminders of his previous homophobic comments made in a series of posts between 2009 and 2011.
A video of him performing a stand up routine in 2010 in which he discusses his fears of his son being gay has also been shared in recent days.
By Thursday, the comments made the headlines and the online outrage grew stronger, leading to Hart stepping down from the role and issuing an apology on Twitter. He also shared a video on Instagram, in which he claimed the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had asked that he apologise.
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He said: "I chose to pass, I passed on the apology. The reason I chose to pass is because I've addressed this several times, this is not the first time this has come up, I've addressed this... I'm not going to continue to go back and tap into the days of old when I've moved on and I'm in a completely different space in my life.
"Regardless, Academy, I'm thankful and appreciative of the opportunity. If it goes away no harm no foul."
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Tweets, comedian, Kevin Hart
