Re the undoing of Kevin Hart as Oscars host

It’s a more inclusive, less mocking world than it used to be.  One would have thought Kevin Hart, Disney/ABC and the Academy would have foreseen the potential consequences of old homophobic tweets or gay panic stand-up routines before Hart’s announcement as Academy Awards host was made public.

And it’s back to Square One for an institution and a television network trying to land an all things to most people host, instead of accepting the realities of audience fragmentation and the Academy Awards ceremony in classic form as an institution in irreversible decline.

AMPAS and Disney/ABC now have to endure the inevitable fallout from comfortable-with-prejudice viewers sneering at the “political correctness” of Kevin Hart’s enforced departure.

Final comment via Owen Gleiberman in VARIETY:

The fact of Hart’s tweets, and his defensiveness about them, boils down to this: He’s someone who‘s still essentially on record as thinking of people who identify as LGBTQ as “those people.” And that couldn’t be further from the defiantly inclusive spirit of Hollywood today.

The post-Orlando quiz.

1. What will the National Rifle Association response be:
a. "This tragedy is being politicized"
b. "If everyone had been armed with AR-15s in that club, there wouldn't have been a tragedy"

2. How soon will the U.S. bomb an ISIS target in retaliation:
a. Within 48 hours
b. Within 24-36 hours

3. How much time per day will cable news devote to Donald Trump comments on this:
a. at least 2 hours
b. 4-6 hours
c. wall-to-wall until Hillary Clinton makes statement criticizing Trump comments

4. True or False: Most Americans retain at least some memories of Friday's interfaith service (Islam/Christianity/Judaism/Buddhism/Native American) in honor of Muhammad Ali.

5. Guess the number of neocons who will turn to condemning violence against the LGBTQ communities since it can be used as a pro-regime change talking point.

6. Guess the likelihood of either a new assault weapons ban or a limitation on bullets per magazine even being considered before "you can't get the votes" op-eds and Republican obstructionists respond.

Some random opinions following today's news about Anderson Cooper.

1. Regardless of timing, it's commendable that CNN's Anderson Cooper decided to join his lesser-known colleague Don Lemon (who came out awhile ago) and declare himself proudly gay in both his public and private lives.
2. The irony remains that Cooper works for an organization (Time Warner) which still is a prime mover in keeping certain gay celebrities tightly closeted--and publishing "he/she is straight with his/her supposedly-straight lover/spouse" fantasies for their print/web readership.
3. No comment about the Tom Cruise/Katie Holmes divorce (of which a settlement has now been reached--announced Monday July 9th), except to say that it's interesting that it shares the same news cycle as Anderson Cooper's coming-out e-mail to THE ATLANTIC's Andrew Sullivan.
4. Regarding Number 3, it's safe to say that most closeted thespians will remain that way (as Time Warner's ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY recently mentioned in a cover story, male celebs who are out aren't likely to be cast in straight romantic mainstream movies--or, likely, superhero/fantasy/action franchises, reinforcing a decades-old casting prejudice of the motion picture business)--unless they're outed or choose to out themselves late in their careers when their better days as money-earners in the Industry are behind them.

Poem: ON THE PASSAGE OF NORTH CAROLINA AMENDMENT ONE

it's in the state charter now
everybody who's not cut out for
traditional marriage has to
hide in a closet
and pass for straight
and never ever ever ever
bother the people of North Carolina
unless you live in liberal areas
like Chapel Hill or Carrboro--
you know, those places
with know-it-all eggheads
who like activist judges
>
the closet's going to get bigger
and bigger just like the stateroom
in The Marx Brothers movie
A NIGHT AT THE OPERA
and eventually people will spill out
with the door off its hinges
>
then, the 61% will have to
put their moral values on a scale
and weigh what Jesus actually said
or didn't say in the Bible about LGBTs
versus all the hate that pastors
named (and not named) Graham
pump into them like IV drips
in an ancient hospital
where the windows are nailed shut
and painted black
to keep out the light.

Robert Downey Jr. uses American Cinematheque awards ceremony to make a case for forgiving Mel Gibson's sins.

http://www.eonline.com/news/marc_malkin/robert_downey_jr_shocker_we_need/269703

Adding this to the above:
1.Given the meet-the-press history of Mr. Gibson's last two films (EDGE OF DARKNESS, THE BEAVER), it may take some huge behavioral remodeling for Mel not to either bristle at reporters' attempts to question/bait (EDGE) or opt for the specially-selected-"pet"-writer who will merely write down carefully-prepared PR responses (THE BEAVER).
2.  I don't know if Mel's prepared to say something like this--"Hey, I'm in my mid-50s, and like many others in my generation, I grew up with prejudices about people with different religious beliefs and same-sex desires. And I acted like a bigoted fool and said hateful things in interviews and to everyday people as well.  I'm sorry I've hurt people around me--including those I've loved and continue to love--and now realize that it's never too late to make changes."
3. Or this: "You know, I'm in my mid-50s, and I've not always been physically or verbally respecful when it comes to relationships with women.  I want to avoid repeating my mistakes in the future."
4.  Or this: "I'm in my mid-50s, and I'm aware the business is changing and may leave me behind.  I'd still like a few big paydays, but I may have to get used to either a full-time career as director or playing occasional high-profile supporting roles like Russell Crowe is doing now as Superman's Superdad."

Reading the various opinions on Tracy Morgan's apology for homophobic remarks in his stnad-up act.

http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/06/tracy_morgan_russell_simmons.html
http://www.deadline.com/2011/06/tracy-morgan-says-he-was-wrong-supports-gay-marriage-calls-homophobia-sickness/

The comments sections for both the articles listed above are worth reading--although, at times, rather discomforting..