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Jerry Seinfeld Speaks Out On Kevin Hart Controversy

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Jerry Seinfeld defended fellow comedian Kevin Hart after several old homophobic tweets were brought to light.

Hart had been set to host the 91st Academy Awards until the tweets from as far back as 2009 resurfaced, but resigned and apologized for his “insensitive words from the past.”

The Hollywood Reporter wrote:

In one 2011 tweet, the comedian and movie star wrote, “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 another from 2010, Hart says someone’s profile pic looks “like a gay bill board for AIDS.” And in another written in 2009, he calls someone a “fat faced fag.”

“Kevin is in a position, because he’s a brilliant comedian, to kind of decide what he wants to do,” said Seinfeld, speaking to “NBC Sunday Today’s” Willie Geist in an interview set to run on Sunday, according to THR. “He doesn’t have to step down. But he can. And when you look at that situation, well, who got screwed in that deal? I think Kevin’s gonna be fine, you know, but find another Kevin Hart: That’s not so easy. He’s a brilliant guy with a movie career, you know?” (RELATED: KEVIN HART CLAPS BACK FOLLOWING BACKLASH OVER SON’S ‘COWBOYS AND INDIANS’ PARTY)

“We have been navigating these slalom gates forever,” Seinfeld continued, explaining the need for comedians to be “agile.” “Look, when I started out, there were dirty comedians — well, if you want to get on The Tonight Show, you can’t use any of those words. And a lot of us went, ‘OK. I still want to play. I’ll play.’ Oh, here’s a new rule, we’re cutting this out. ‘OK, I’ll get around that.’ So, that’s our thing. It’s like Lindsey Vonn: Wherever you put the gates, I’m going to make them, you know. I’m gonna make the gates. That’s the gig.”

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