Kevin Hart aside (I'll let others talk about what they like or dislike about him) -
I don't know how anyone thinks that the hollywood "elite" are comedy friendly. I don't know any celebrities right now that can take a joke about themselves. Either lighthearted or a good ribbing, I just see every one of them being upset and pouty. Sure they'll laugh at others, but to each one of them they're untouchable when it comes to jokes.
Personally I liked the humor, for me it humanizes them and it's like "Okay let's ground this thing in some reality before we make you feel like you're the most important people on the planet", but of course god forbid they remember they're just like us.
It was incredibly depressing that his openers (his "Solo cup boys") made homophobic jokes. One in particular was about how the comedian would be disappointed if his son was gay because he couldn't take him to the strip club with him.
Sorry that people aren't receptive to shitty, bigoted jokes any more Kevin. Maybe you and Dave Chappelle can get together and make jokes about trans/gay people to empty audiences.
Or in terms that you're more familiar with, "you 'gon learn today!'
It's always terrible comedians like Kevin Hart who complain about "PC Culture" or "being woke". And it's because they are terrible at comedy. They can no longer fall back on just saying something racist or sexist or transphobic "as a joke" instead of actually working on material.
There are a ton of great comics out there, but these guys? No, these guys' time has long since passed.
My only rebuttal to this, is the whitehouse correspondance dinner. That's the whole point of comedy.
Jeselnik said something to this point when he mentioned the Boston marathon bombing. What's funny about the bombing, nothing. But that's why there comedians who can find humor in the darkest of places.
Jesus, every comedian whines about how they can't make offensive jokes anymore. Just recently watched a comedy special from 2008 where they spend the first 15 minutes doing exactly that while making offensive jokes and getting lots of laughs.
I'm not really understanding the article. Does it mention he was asked to host this year and declined? It almost seems like he's putting it out there because
A. He's trying to build controversy so that he's asked and can either publicly decline or "relunctantly" accept and say that he only did it under the condition that he could say whatever he wanted.
Or B. He asked and they turned him down so he's saying he never wanted to anyway.
It all sounds fake. He has all the connections he needs to be able to host.