Eddie Murphy Being Courted For Kevin Hart Oscars Gig: Academy Hopes He 'Will Agree'
Dec. 8 2018, Published 12:00 a.m. ET
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Eddie Murphy is on the short list to replace Kevin Hart as host for the 2019 Oscars, RadarOnline.com can exclusively reveal.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences reached out to Murphy after Hart quit the gig following his controversial apology stemming from backlash from old tweets that used homophobic language.
Sources tell RadarOnline.com exclusively the Academy host committee reached out to Murphy "in hopes that he would agree to host."
But the informant also revealed Murphy is "uninterested" years after he turned down the hosting gig in 2012 due to the Academy's falling out with Brett Ratner, who was supposed to produce the 2012 awards show but pulled out after he was blasted for using a homophobic slur.
“Being asked to help put on the Oscar show was the proudest moment of my career. But as painful as this may be for me, it would be worse if my association with the show were to be a distraction from the Academy and the high ideals it represents,” the famed filmmaker wrote in a letter after he quit.
As fans know, Murphy officially withdrew as host of the 84th Academy Awards following Ratner's scandal.
Murphy said in a statement at the time: “First and foremost I want to say that I completely understand and support each party’s decision with regard to a change of producers for this year’s Academy Awards ceremony.
“I was truly looking forward to being a part of the show that our production team and writers were just starting to develop, but I’m sure that the new production team and host will do an equally great job.”
The Academy President Tom Sherak also said in a statement at the time: “I appreciate how Eddie feels about losing his creative partner, Brett Ratner, and we all wish him well.”
Now, six years later, sources tell RadarOnline.com exclusively the Academy has been trying to get him back as host ever since, but Murphy is even "less interested" after seeing what Hart went through.
As RadarOnline.com readers know, Hart stepped down from hosting the Oscars, he announced on Twitter early Friday morning after he came under fire for a controversial apology he made following backlash from old tweets that used homophobic language.
“I have made the choice to step down from hosting this year’s Oscar’s,” Hart tweeted. “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.”
The final apology can after Hart was slammed for his first “half a**” apology after he was called out for the homophobic tweets following the announcement that he will be hosting the 2019 Oscars on February 24.
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Hart Tweeted in 2009: “Yo 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.'”
In a second one Hart called someone a “fat faced f**.”
He deleted the Tweets and issued a apology afterward that was also slammed.
After the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences asked him to apologize, Hart posted a video posted on his Instagram page saying: “I swear man, our world is becoming beyond crazy. I’m not going to let the craziness frustrate me or anger me especially when I worked hard to get to the mental space where I’m at now.”
He explained what transpired on Tuesday after the Oscars gig was announced. “My team calls me, ‘Oh my God, Kevin, this world is upset about tweets you did years ago.’ Guys. I’m almost 40 years old. If you don’t believe that people change, grow, evolve as they get older, I don’t know what to tell you. If you want to hold people in a position where they always have to justify or explain their past, then do you. I’m the wrong guy, man,” Hart says. “I’m in a great place, a great mature place where all I do is spread positivity.”
Hart wrote as a caption alongside the post: “Stop looking for reasons to be negative…stop searching for reasons to be angry…I swear I wish you guys could see/feel/understand the mental place that I am in. I am truly happy people… there is nothing that you can do to change that….NOTHING.”
“I work hard on a daily basis to spread positivity to all…with that being said. If you want to search my history or past and anger yourselves with what u find that is fine with me. I ‘m almost 40 years old and I’m in love with the man that I am becoming,” Hart wrote.
“You LIVE and YOU LEARN & YOU GROW & YOU MATURE. I live to Love…. Please take your negative energy and put it into something constructive. Please…What’s understood should never have to be said. I LOVE EVERYBODY..ONCE AGAIN EVERYBODY. If you choose to not believe me then that’s on you…Have a beautiful day.”
Hart’s apology was not well received.
Actor Billy Eichner ripped him, Tweeting: “This is not good. A simple, authentic apology showing any bit of understanding or remorse would have been so simple. Like I tweeted a few weeks ago, Hollywood still has a real problem with gay men. On the surface it may not look like it. Underneath, it’s far more complicated.”
One user commented “Kevin Hart gonna lose his Oscar hosting spot,” while another follower said, “wow, that Kevin Hart response is bad.”
A third angry commenter even slammed Hart’s apology as “half a**.”
GLAAD told the USA TODAY that the organization contacted the Academy to discuss the situation.
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