Kevin Hart Opens Up About Politics In The Trump Era
Many A-list (and below) celebrities are anything but shy about expressing their scorn for U.S. President Donald Trump. Against that backdrop, some recent entertainment awards ceremonies have morphed into forums for Trump bashing.
Perhaps this is why the entertainment media continually seeks the opinions of show business luminaries about the POTUS.
Actor/comedian Kevin Hart has a different take on the subject of politics, however, and has no plans to tell jokes about Trump.
According to Forbes, Kevin Hart, who overcame a very challenging Philadelphia childhood, last year became the top earner on the comedy circuit, banking $87. 5 million between June 2015 and June 2016. The 2017 tally shows Jerry Seinfeld back on top, thanks to Netflix.
In a May 2017 interview, the comedy superstar told Variety that “When you jump into that political realm you’re alienating some of your audience.The world today, it’s really not a laughing matter. It’s serious. I don’t want to draw attention to things I don’t have nice things to say about.”
In an interview published this past week by The Daily Beast, Hart reaffirmed that unlike many of his contemporaries, he will continue to steer clear of politics.
“When I used the word ‘alienate,’ here’s why The way that I see it, my job as a comedian is to spread positivity. To make people laugh. And I don’t want to draw attention to what’s already pissing us as a people off.”
Hart called attention to the divisive nature of politics as the reason why he won’t ride along, as it were, with anti-Trump celebs.
“I want to be a bright spot. I want to take your mind off of whatever may be going on in your life that could be wrong and give you a reason to say, you know what? It’s going to be OK. That’s being the positive, motivating, inspiring person that I am, that I always will be. Everybody’s not going to see things the way I want to see them. And they shouldn’t. That’s what makes us individuals. In that particular realm, I keep my opinions to myself. And like I said, if I don’t have anything nice to say, I shouldn’t say it at all. I’m not in the business of trashing people.”
With the launch of his Laugh Out Loud 24/7 comedy streaming service in a joint venture with Lionsgate Entertainment, Kevin Hart added that the up-and-coming performers on the channel will have the freedom to satirize any subject, including politics, however.
Late last month, country singer/songwriter Miranda Lambert similarly explained that she intends to keep politics out of her music, in part because music provides a necessary departure from day-to-day concerns. In June, Hillary Clinton supporter Billy Joel expressed very equivalent sentiments to Rolling Stone magazine. The rock legend suggested that artists should concentrate on their art and keep politics to themselves because fans come to concerts to escape from all that. Joel noted that he has his own political views, but he has no intention of getting up on a soapbox to tell others how or what to think.
During his long career in the pre-politics media spotlight as a high-profile real estate developer and Celebrity Apprentice host, Donald Trump — a former Democrat and independent who ran for president on the GOP ticket — regularly mingled with New York and Hollywood celebrities, for example, and they with him. It’s only after he became a political candidate that Trump, for various reasons, became unacceptable to many of those on the liberal-trending show business circuit.
[Featured Image by Danny Moloshok/Invision/AP Images]
