The comedian took to Twitter to fire off some strongly worded posts in response to critics of his recent interview on cancel culture.
Kevin Hart is speaking out. The stand-up comic and movie star took to Twitter to defend himself against haters who are slamming him by claiming he is no longer funny.
Hart began his lengthy Twitter rant by explaining, "Sometimes you gotta sit back & laugh at some of the s**t that you hear....and I hear it all."
Hart added, "I got time today...." before launching into the heart of his argument in defense of his career and his talent.
"The 'He’s not funny' slander is the best," Hart continued, in a series of missives. "This is for you. I have 3 stand up comedy specials that fall in the top 10 highest grossing comedy specials of all time....2 of my specials are in the top 3 of all time."
Hart went on to explain that he's been "the highest grossing comedian in entertainment for years now....I have also been the highest grossing comedian in the box office with over 4 billion in earnings .... I have also turned my comedic talent into a place of business and branding and radio and other revenue streams."
According to the comic, "The hate/slander fuels me to do more."
Addressing his critics and outspoken haters, Hart wrote, "You guys are what makes this business fun....because it’s not about getting to the top....it’s about doing your best to stay on top after you get there."
"I rarely talk s**t....but I felt the need to today," he wrote. "Stop believing these headlines and read the actual articles.... you guys fall for the banana in the tail pipe trick every damn time."
Hart continued his Twitter rant on Tuesday writing, "J Cole said it best 'If ur laughing at a millionaire the jokes on YOU' .....Now back to ur regularly scheduled program. Live love and laugh!!!!"
The seeming uptick in criticism comes after Hart's interview with The Sunday Times over the weekend, in which he shared his thoughts on so-called "cancel culture" and said he didn't spend time worrying about it. He added that he "personally doesn't give a sh*t" about the possibility of being "cancelled."
Hart explained that if someone has done something "truly damaging" then he understands why they should deal with the consequences. "But when you just talk about… nonsense? When you're talking, 'Someone said! They need to be taken [down]!' Shut the f**k up! What are you talking about?" he questioned.
"When did we get to a point where life was supposed to be perfect? Where people were supposed to operate perfectly all the time? I don't understand," he added. "I don't expect perfection from my kids. I don't expect it from my wife, friends, employees. Because, last I checked, the only way you grow up is from f**king up. I don't know a kid who hasn’t f**ked up or done some dumb sh*t."
Hart previously encountered public backlash in 2018 when several offensive remarks tweeted by Hart between 2009 and 2011 resurfaced after it was announced he would host 2019's Academy Awards.
The tweets made offensive and homophobic comments and jokes, leading some to call for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to rescind their hosting offer. Hart eventually stepped down from hosting.
Now in 2021, the comedian says he's never been bothered by his cancellations.
"If you allow it to have an effect on you, it will. Personally? That’s not how I operate,” he said in the interview. He also expressed his belief that, in the world of comedy today, comics can't express themselves truly without fear of getting canceled.
"You're thinking that things you say will come back and bite you on the a**," he said. "I can't be the comic today that I was when I got into this. It's about the intent behind what you say -- there’s an assumption it's always bad and, somehow, we forgot comedians are going for the laugh... I'm trying to make you laugh and if I did not make you laugh I failed. That's my consequence."
Check out the video below to hear more on Hart.
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