ON #AM2DM NICK CANNON DEFENDS KEVIN HART: Calls it a “Dangerous Time” on Social Media

Nick Cannon defends Kevin Hart after controversy (Watch Interview Here):

“I was sticking up for my best friend...I like to point out selective outrage and hypocrisy. But mainly, talking to that man, I was so proud of him and I knew how important that job was to him. And then I was even more proud of how he handled it once all of the controversy came his way, and he chose to step down, then apologize. And the only reason why I pointed out some of the other people, and I could’ve kept going, I did extensive research...it was just showing how we all grow...I was like ‘wow, we can invite Mel Gibson to the Oscars, but Kevin can’t come?’”

Cannon on the dangers of social media:

“We have be very It's a dangerous time where we allow social media to dictate how we feel about people’s character. I know Kevin Hart personally. He is an amazing individual...For one of the good guys to get hung out to dry is truly unfair, especially when he’s been remorseful, when he’s said he’s sorry...If we’re putting his character on trial here, I think it stands the test of time...And the people I retweeted -- I salute, respect their work as artists and think that they have done some great things…At times, it's a little reminiscent of McCarthyism. Everyone’s scared to move, scared to speak.”

The Academy’s history of racism:

“Let’s focus on what’s right. I hold the Academy accountable in that sense. If we’re going to bring up someone’s past and force them - because of your power - force someone to apologize in order to keep their job, that's where we truly have issues...I believe we should force the Academy to apologize for how they’ve treated several communities...Let’s go back to Haddy Daniels, the first black woman to ever receive and Academy Award, and she was forced to sit in the back and be segregated from the rest of the Gone With The Wind cast. Did we receive an apology for that?...We’ve allowed the Academy to grow since then and we did #OscarsSoWhite, all those things. And that was just a couple of years ago. But we’re allowing them to grow. We didn’t force them to apologize...If we’re going to start bringing up people’s past, then so has the Academy. But still, we hold the Academy in such this high regard, but there’s still the individuals who all probably made and supported statements that we would all look down upon.”