- In an interview with Deadline,
Kevin Hart has explained why he is defendingEllen DeGeneres andNick Cannon amidst their respective controversies. - Hart told Deadline: "I know who they are, and I know who they've been for the years that I've been around them, and I can only speak to that ... Those are two of the most amazing people that I know."
- DeGeneres is facing scrutiny after former employees came forward with stories of sexual harrassment, bullying, and racial discrimination on her eponymous show, which is now under internal investigation from WarnerMedia.
- Cannon was let go from ViacomCBS after making controversial comments that were deemed anti-semitic on an episode of his podcast in July.
Kevin Hart has explained why he is defending Ellen DeGeneres and Nick Cannon throughout their respective controversies.
"Well, I don't lose sight of the definition of friendship, and in our business, it's one thing that people don't really hold on to. There's a lot of relationships that are fake, and there's some that are real," Hart told Deadline.
"In my case, the ones that are real are the ones that I'm always going to be adamant about speaking on behalf of. I know the people that both of them are, and knowing the people, all I can say is my experiences with those people."
Hart said: "That's not to take away from what other people are saying that they have had, and that they have done. It's just to highlight what I'm saying I know, and what I can speak on behalf of."
DeGeneres is under scrutiny after former employees told BuzzFeed about their poor treatment whilst working on her eponymous show. Hart is one of a few celebrities, including Katy Perry, who have spoken up in support of DeGeneres
Cannon, meanwhile, meanwhile, was dropped by ViacomCBS on July 14 after making controversial comments that were deemed anti-semitic on his podcast who is also under fire after making anti-semitic comments, in an interview with Deadline.
Hart has been embroiled in controversy himself at times after publicly admitting in 2017 to cheating on his wife Eniko Parrish when she was pregnant. In 2018, Hart was announced as Oscars host for the 2019 ceremony but quickly stepped down after receiving intense backlash for resurfaced homophobic tweets from 2010 and 2011.
Hart referenced his experiences with controversies, telling Deadline that he knows how dark those times can be for those involved.
"I know how lonely it gets, because I know that these are times when people just turn their back on you," Hart said. "So for the ones that you love, that are close to your heart, you just want them to have some support, when it seems that there is none out there, and that's just who I am as a person."
Hart continued: "When it comes to Nick, and it comes [to] Ellen, I know who they are, and I know who they've been for the years that I've been around them, and I can only speak to that ... Those are two of the most amazing people that I know."
On Monday, DeGeneres announced in an all-staff Zoom call that executive producers Jonathan Norman, Ed Glavin, and Kevin Leman were being let go from the show after the trio were accused of sexually harassing employees. Norman and Leman deny the allegations, while Glavin has yet to comment.
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