Kevin Hart & Co-Hosts Gets Fresh LGBTQ Backlash Following Episode of ‘The Shop’ For Asking Lil Nas X Why He Came Out As Gay, Failing To Acknowledge Homophobia In The Black Community [Video]

Posted September 5, 2019
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Kevin Hart is getting more flack for his seemingly homophobic ways during a recent episode of ‘The Shop‘–a series produced by HBO in collaboration with LeBron James and Maverick Carter — which features a round-table-like discussion centered in a “barbershop.”

The round-table features celebrities, on-air personalities, musicians, and athletes as they sit and chop it up about hot topics, debate pop culture, sports, music, and address “man stuff” much like in a real black barbershop.

Lil Nas X and Hart were joined on the show’s September 3 episode by basketball players Kevin Love and CJ McCollum, football player Rob Gronkowski, and Charlamagne Tha God. While the interaction between Kevin and Lil Nas X was a very brief part of the 30-minute episode, but it has become a main focus of the entire episode and fired up social media.

In the clip, Lil Nas X was questioned by the group of older black men on why he felt the need to come out of the closet, and publicly earlier this year. It was their responses (or lack of understanding) to his responses that has social media, fans of Nas X, and members of the LGBTQ community furious.

“He said he was gay! So what?” Hart interrupted.

Lil Nas X continued by saying he came out because it was important for him to combat anti-gay sentiment in society.

“I’m growing up to hate this shit,” Lil Nas X said, referring to being gay.

Hart interrupted him again, with a high-pitch squeal and a puzzled look: “Hate what? Why?”

“If you’re really from the hood, you know,” Lil Nas X said to Hart, implying that Hart should know about homophobia and anti-LGBTQ sentiments in the black community.

“Any other time, like, I’m doing this for attention in my eyes,” he continued. “But if you’re doing this while you’re at the top, you know it’s, like, for real. It’s showing, like, it doesn’t really matter.”

You may recall, Hart was famously picked to host the 2019 Oscars and then quit amid intense backlash after he initially refused to apologize for homophobic jokes and comments he’d made in the past that had once again come to light. Specifically, that if his son came out as gay or caught him playing with dolls, he would break a dollhouse on his head…seemingly saying he’d beat the gay out of his son.

Hart defended his decision to not apologize by saying he’d already apologized for them and “changed his ways.” Though he eventually said he was sorry for any hurt he’d caused, he did so only after repeatedly referring to those who were upset about his comments as trolls and haters.

As it relates to the episode of ‘The Shop’, although Hart went on to say that being gay shouldn’t be an issue in 2019 and seemingly implied support—it was how he (and the other men on the panel) dismissed the rap-singers feelings and points, and failed to give him a real space to be vulnerable and feel accepted.

“What I wanna say to Lil Nas X is that in no way shape or form should you have to defend [yourself] … when you have a voice and simply say ‘this’ [being gay,] there is no back-and-forth about what ‘this’ is. Nothing else needs to be said,” Hart says.

The men also failed to truthfully acknowledge anti-LGBTQ sentiments in their personal lives, why coming out and representation is important and necessary, and failed to applaud Nas X for the courage it takes for LGBTQ celebrities, athletes (or men in general) to come out (which is why so few have).

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