Kevin Hart refuses to apologise for past anti-gay comments

Comedian Kevin Hart has refused to apologise for his earlier anti-gay comments despite Academy Awards' ultimatum.

In a new Instagram video, Hart, who was tapped to emcee the ceremony earlier this week, says the Academy called him issuing an ultimatum if things were going to proceed as planned, reports variety.com.

"I just got a call from the Academy and that call basically said, 'Kevin, apologize for your tweets of old or we are going to have to move on and find another host'. I'm talking about the tweets from 2009 and 2010," the 39-year-old comedian said.

"I chose to pass on the apology. The reason why I passed is because I have addressed this several times. This is not the first time this has come up. I have addressed it. I have spoken on it. I have said where the rights and wrongs were.

"I have said who I am now versus who I was then. I have done it. I am not going to continue to go back and tap into the days of old when I have moved on and I am in a completely different place in my life."

In a previous Instagram video, Hart addressed escalating concerns over a long history of hate speech and derogatory jokes about the LGBTQ community on social media, resurfaced in national news after he was named host of the Oscars on Thursday.

--IANS

dc/ksk