Stand-up comedy superstar and Hollywood A-lister Kevin Hart is willing to crack jokes on just about any topic, except politics.
Explaining why he avoids politically themed jokes in an interview with the Variety Magazine, he said there is a risk of alienating the audience.
“When you jump into that political realm you’re alienating some of your audience,” Hart said.
“The world today, it’s really not a laughing matter. It’s serious,” he added. “I don’t want to draw attention to things I don’t have nice things to say about.”
This comes in contrast to what stars such as Robert De Niro and Rosie O’Donnell have made done; making politics the bedrock of their public profiles and have paid dearly for it with audiences.
His staying away from politics in general may be an old school tactic but its paying dividends as he remains one of the few actors left who brings people to the theaters.
Hart’s films, including 2016’s Central Intelligence and the Ride Along franchise, have grossed nearly $1.5 billon domestically. The 37-year-old actor reportedly commands $10 million per film, Breibart.com reports.
With a slew of successful stand-up specials under his belt, a bevy of blockbuster films slated for release — including a Jumanji remake debuting in December and a Great Outdoors remake in the works — the Hartbeat Productions boss says he wants to become an Oprah Winfrey-like media mogul.
“He’s a legitimate, bankable movie star,” Ron Meyer, vice chairman of NBCUniversal, told Variety. “He’s one of the few stars left that brings people into theaters.”
This might be a worthwhile lesson for divisive celebrities who want to retain relevance in the entertainment industry to learn.
