Stand-up comedy superstar and Hollywood A-lister Kevin Hart is willing to crack jokes on just about any topic, except politics.
In an interview with Variety published this week to promote his new book, the What Now star explains why avoiding politically-charged comedy keeps him from “alienating” a portion of his 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.”
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.
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.”
“He’s going to build companies and invest in companies and do the things that Oprah and LeBron James do, where they don’t just do their craft — they create industries,” added Dave Becky, Hart’s manager.
Hart, an admitted workout-a-holic, has also added a Nike endorsement deal to his resumé and is a Tommy John underwear pitchman, model, and investor.
“I want to own it,” Hart told Variety. “I want that last name Hart, when all’s said and done, to mean so much.”
Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter: @jeromeehudson
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