Kevin Hart Is Hosting the Oscars and Had an Emotional Response to the News

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published 5 December 2018

Last night, the Academy Awards announced the host of the 2018 Oscars—super-popular comedian and actor Kevin Hart. As reported in Variety, John Bailey, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences president, raved about the choice. No one is more excited than Hart, though, as evidenced by his Instagram.

In a long post, Hart said he'd been asked for years if he'd host the Oscars and "my answer was always the same...I said that it would be the opportunity of a lifetime for me as a comedian and that it will happen when it's suppose [sic] to."

He added that it had been a goal of his for a long time. "I am so happy to say that the day has finally come." He thanked his supporters and mentioned his late mom, who passed away in 2017. She'd be "smiling from ear to ear right now," he said.

Hart even hinted at what we might see this year. "I will be sure to make this years [sic] Oscars a special one," he said. "Now it's time to rise to the occasion."

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Bailey said he was "very excited" and called Hart a "very kind of warm and loving and lovable person.” He intimated that Hart would bring the funny not just to his own performance but to the entire show.

“I think he’s going to surround himself with people who also are going to be appealing like him. I think some of the presenters and guests are going to be his friends.”

In 2017, Jimmy Kimmel made some progressive statements, addressing the elephant in the room about Harvey Weinstein and praising the women who were standing up against sexism. But he also made an unfunny quip about Mahershala Ali's new baby name, and some of his bits fell very flat. There's a reason why he made the list of most awkward 2017 Oscars moments—more than once, in fact.

Here's hoping Hart brings his trademark style of screwball humor but pairs it with some serious talk about changing the industry.

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Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.