For the second time in history, Oscars will officially have no host.
Ever since the Hart controversy, speculations have been flying around as some have suggested Chris Pratt while others preferred a robot to play the host. Now, it's final and official -- No One.
Karey Burke, the president of ABC Entertainment, confirmed to reporters that this year's Oscars will be broadcast without an emcee. Last year, when they announced Kevin Hart as the host for 2019, everyone was happy. First black host, after so many years, said many. But, that joy was short lived when an old tweet of the comedian resurfaced, where he made fun of the LGBTQ+ community, that had hurt the latter.
Later, Kevin Hart had come forward and apologised multiple times, explaining himself as to why he did so and cited, how it was normal among his group of friends to talk that way. "The fight is the will and want for equality. I'm riding with you guys. I understand you," Kevin Hart clarified his grounds on his radio show.
Unable to bear any of those trolls, he decided to step down from the Oscars offer. But the trolls did not stop. How Kevin made fun of the community years ago, came back to haunt him last year rather brutally.
When he went to the Ellen DeGeneres show, fellow comedian and the host stood up on his behalf. DeGeneres, who is gay and has been one of the voices of the movement assured him that he has been pardoned.
She even asked him to reconsider his decision and host the academy awards, "They're gonna win if you don't host the Oscars," DeGeneres said, referring to "trolls" online. "You can't let them destroy you and they can't destroy you because you have too much talent." But Hart refused to change his stance.
Even the Academy has created quite a news in the last few weeks. In their list of nominees, by including 'Black Panther' for the best picture category, they have triggered a debate where people started questioning its stance on the black community. Some have even gone forward, claimed that this is a strategy to clean their white collars from racism and that it is just an appeasement move.
Last time the Oscars went without a host was in 1989 when producer Allen Carr decided to have more presenters than MC's. Although this is not a new feat, we'll have to wait until the telecast on February, 24.