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PEOPLE & ARTS Wednesday 12 december 2018

Nick Cannon sees irony in the way Oscars handled Kevin Hart

By GARY GERARD HAMIL- Other comedians like Kathy
TON Griffin and Hannah Gadsby
Associated Press have voiced their support
NEW YORK (AP) — Nick for Hart even if they view his
Cannon isn’t just defend- apology as underwhelm-
ing his friend and fellow co- ing.
median Kevin Hart over the Gadsby, an openly gay co-
Oscars hosting controversy. median, said Hart could’ve
He’s also going after the used the situation as a
Academy of Motion Pic- learning lesson. Gadsby
ture Arts and Sciences itself. told The AP Hart could
Cannon was one of many “bridge those things that
cheering the decision to he once said and to a cer-
appoint Hart as host of the tain point believed, that he
Feb. 24 telecast but then no longer does. I think it’s a
with dismay watched as his lost moment that could’ve
friend voluntarily stepped been a really constructive
down following an outcry bridge.”
over past homophobic Cannon also showed sup-
tweets. Hart contended port for Hart on Twitter
he’d already addressed by re-posting old tweets
those tweets and they from female comics Amy
no longer represented his Schumer, Sarah Silverman
views. In this Dec. 10, 2018 photo, Nick Cannon poses for a portrait in New York to promote promoting his and Chelsea Handler that
Cannon, who on Monday new show, “The Masked Singer.” also contained LGBTQ slurs
was promoting his new Associated Press and derogatory terms.
show, “The Masked Singer,” host also said there’s an iro- changing. We’ve allowed Wind,” she had to sit in the Cannon said he wanted to
told The Associated Press ny to this situation because them to grow. So why can’t back corner of the venue highlight “great artists” who
he talked with Hart during he believes the Academy we allow the people that alone because it had a he respects. “Again, there’s
the controversy, and said “I has its own skeletons when the Academy employs or strict no-blacks policy. “Did clearly a double standard
felt that the Academy ac- it comes to both racism empowers to grow?” anybody receive an apol- in Hollywood.” He added:
tually could’ve handled it in and a lack of diversity. Cannon also noted how ogy for that?” Cannon “I just wanted to show it
a different way.” He added He recalled that as recently when actress Hattie Mc- asked. The Academy of doesn’t matter what your
that organizers should have as 2014, the 6,000 or so Os- Daniel became the first Motion Picture Arts and Sci- race, your gender or even
done their research before car voters were nearly 94 African-American woman ences did not respond to your perspective truly is. We
offering Hart the gig. percent white and 77 per- to win an Academy Award request for comment Tues- all make mistakes — myself
The veteran “Wild N Out” cent male. “But things are in 1940 for “Gone With the day. included.”q

4 journalists and a newspaper are Time’s Person of the Year

By SHAWN MARSH who risk all to tell the story claims the charges are po-
Associated Press of our time,” Editor-in-Chief litically motivated.
Time magazine named four Edward Felsenthal wrote in Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo
journalists and a newspa- an essay. have been imprisoned for
per on Tuesday as its 2018 Time selected them “for nearly a year in Myanmar
Person of the Year for what taking great risks in pursuit after investigating a mas-
it said was standing up for of greater truths, for the im- sacre of Rohingya Muslims.
the truth in the face of per- perfect but essential quest Four journalists and a sales
secution and violence. for facts that are central to assistant were killed by a
The group, which Time civil discourse, for speaking gunman at the Capital Ga-
called “the guardians,” up and speaking out.” zette newspaper last spring.
consists of slain Saudi jour- Khashoggi was killed two Forty-six journalists world-
nalist Jamal Khashoggi; the months ago when The wide were killed in 2017,
Capital Gazette in Annap- Washington Post columnist, according to data col-
olis, Maryland, where five who had lived in the U.S., lected by the Committee
people were shot to death visited Saudi Arabia’s con- to Protect Journalists. The
at the newspaper’s offices sulate in Turkey for paper- nonprofit group reported
in June; Philippine journalist work so he could get mar- 50 deaths in 2016 and 73 in
Maria Ressa, who has been ried. 2015. There were 262 jour-
arrested; and Reuters jour- He had been critical of the nalists imprisoned world-
nalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Saudi regime. wide in 2017.
Soe Oo, who have been Reesa is an award-winning Since 1927, Time has se-
detained in Myanmar for Philippine journalist who, lected individuals or groups
nearly a year. along with the online news to appear on its cover for
“They are representa- service she heads, has the end-of-the-year fea-
tive of a broader fight by been accused of tax eva- ture. This was the first time
countless others around sion. Her website has been someone named was no
the world — as of Dec. 10, This combination photo provided by Time Magazine shows their critical of the government longer alive. Those chosen
at least 52 journalists have four covers for the “Person of the Year,” announced Tuesday, of Philippines President this year will appear in four
been murdered in 2018 — Dec. 11, 2018. Rodrigo Duterte, and she different cover photos.q
Associated Press