The virus of political correctness and woke sermonizing that has wormed its way into the Academy Awards for the past decade has all but turned Hollywood’s most prestigious awards show into a level of laughingstock that not even the Golden Globes has stooped to. In a breaking piece at Variety, Academy insiders close to the show’s planning have confirmed that Oscars 2019 will be entirely host-free, meaning no Kevin Hart, no Ellen Degeneres, no Chris Rock, not even Jimmy Kimmel.
“The Oscars are poised to embark on one of the most radical reinventions in the awards show’s long history,” reports Variety. “For the first time in nearly three decades, the biggest night in movies plans to go without a host, individuals with knowledge of the plans told Variety.”
In place of the wise-cracking host, the show’s producers will instead select “a crop of A-listers to introduce various segments.” Exactly how the Oscars will open the show sans the traditional opening monologue remains to be seen. For now, the Academy is scrambling to secure the top talent in the small window of time (six weeks) they have until the show airs on February 24.
“As it stands, no new offers are out, nor are any expected to be made to a single potential host to fill the void left by Kevin Hart,” reports Variety. “Barring an eleventh-hour pivot by the Academy — in the event that a superstar host materializes — the show producers are moving forward with a broadcast that will focus on starry skits and play up a high-profile year for music in film, thanks to likely nominees Lady Gaga, Dolly Parton, and Kendrick Lamar, one individual involved with the show said.”
After a show of support from fellow comedienne Ellen Degeneres, rumors began to circulate if Kevin Hart would set aside his differences with the Academy and host the Oscars anyway. Speaking with Variety last Friday, Hart put those rumors to rest when he unequivocally stated, “It’s done.”
“Would I ever do it? No, it’s done. It’s done,” Hart told Variety. “The moment came and it was a blessing and I was excited at the opportunity and I still am. In my mind I got the job, it was a dream job, and things came up that simply prohibited it from happening. But I don’t believe in going backwards.”
Worse still, members of the Academy apparently have no contrition for how they handled the Kevin Hart fiasco. In fact, they were reportedly upset when the famed comedian portrayed himself as a victim of internet trolls during his interview with Ellen Degeneres last week.
“The Academy had been considering welcoming Hart back if he had used the opportunity in an interview with Ellen DeGeneres to demonstrate contrition,” reports Variety. “But his sit-down with DeGeneres, a sympathetic friend, backfired when he was made out to be the victim of internet trolls and ‘haters’ rather than the perpetrator of hateful remarks.”
The Academy was also none-too-happy with Ellen Degeneres for allegedly mischaracterizing a phone call she had with an unnamed Academy official to lobby in Hart’s favor:
Moreover, the Academy, according to sources, was furious that DeGeneres, on her show, mischaracterized her phone conversation with an unnamed Academy official whom she contacted to lobby for Hart’s reinstatement.
DeGeneres implied that the Academy wanted Hart back at all costs, to the point of quoting someone in the ranks admitting the organization may have “said the wrong thing” in discussing Hart’s exit.
While the Academy never commented on the veracity of the call, or whom it may have been with, one person said DeGeneres took the remarks out of context. A rep for DeGeneres had no comment.
The debacle on the Academy’s hands is one entirely of their own making, shot through by their sycophantic love affair with all things left-of-center and politically correct. Had the Academy just kept silent and not demanded that Kevin Hart issue a public apology over past jokes that some LGBT community members found offensive, the Oscars would be on its way to a ratings blowout. Instead, all of them will likely stand humiliated when the Nielsen numbers the following Monday reveal the show managed to outdo last year’s record as being one of the lowest-rated Oscars ever.