vAs Hollywood continues to react following Kevin Hart‘s decision to step down from hosting the Oscars, a growing list of celebs have been defending the comic, so is his children’s tutor.
Read: Christmas vibes: See Kevin Hart and his family pose in matching outfits
A longtime acquaintance and academic adviser to Hart’s kids, Merle Soden, has come to his defence, as he is also a “proud member of the LGBTQ community.”
In a tweet dated back to 2011, Hart had written: “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.” Though Hart said he’s repeatedly apologized for those comments, his announcement as the bost of the 2019 Oscars was met with huge backlash.
“I have known Kevin Hart for almost 10 years and have been in his kids’ life, taught them to read and write . . . I am a proud member of the LGBTQ Community and I stand up for Kevin Hart,” Soden posted as he spoke up for Kelvin. “I stand in solidarity for Kevin Hart while he is being ridiculed for being homophobic. I am the biggest, most out LGBTQ member on his team and [he] has never showed me any prejudice or bias because of my HIV status or because of my LGBTQ status,” Soden informed.
The star comedian has also been defended more celebrities such as by Nick Cannon, Anthony Anderson, Ludacris, Scott Eastwood and his ex-wife, Torrei Hart.
SNL comic Michael Che also defended Hart during the NBC show’s “Weekend Update,” saying, “Didn’t the Academy nominate Mel Gibson for an award just last year?” And, “If Kevin Hart isn’t clean enough to host the Oscars, then no black comic is. The only black comic I know that’s cleaner than Kevin Hart is booked for the next three to 10 years” — referring to the convicted veteran comedian, Bill Cosby, who is serving time for drugging and sexually assaulting multiple women.
