32
MARCH2015
•
HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM
SMALLZ&RASKIND/CONTOURBYGETTY IMAGES
themonthahead
I
n a 2013 episode of the reality-
show spoof “Real Husbands of
Hollywood,” KevinHart and Chris
Rock engaged in a debate overwho
was the bigger star. ThoughHart is
a creator and an executive producer
of theBET show, the Philly-born
comic let Rock have the lastword:
“Kev, what you’ve gotta understand
is: I’m actually famous. You’remore
…black famous!”
The line got a big laugh, partly
because therewas a ring of truth
to it. ThoughHart, 35, has sold out
exclusive interview
TheColorofFunny?
Whenasked if co-starringwithWill Ferrell in the
newbuddy comedyGetHardwill bringhim crossover
success, KevinHart sayshe’sbeenmakingwhitepeople
laugh foryears
BYJAZMINEHUGHES
“YOUCAN’T
APPEALTO
ONERACE
WITHBEING
FUNNY—
EVERYBODY
LOVESTO
LAUGH”
Madison SquareGarden (twice) and
hosted theMTVVideoMusic Awards,
and appeared in an impressive
five feature films last year, the
perception remains that he has
not yet broken through to awhite
audience. That could change this
month, asHart stars oppositeWill
Ferrell in the buddy comedyGet
Hard, inwhichhe coaches Ferrell’s
character—awhite-collar criminal
who’s about to start serving hard
time—onhow to survive inprison.
“I can’twait for it to come out,”
Hart says. “Will Ferrell’s a different
level of funny—you reallydon’t
come across this type of talent, at
all. So forme to say that I worked
withhim, it’s definitely a big bonus.”
Appearing opposite Ferrell would
be a boon to anyone’s career, but
especially so, onewould think, for
an actor likeHart, whose box office
hits are part of the new sea of
blackmovies onemight call FUBU
(for us, by us) if onewere being
brief, but FUBUMSBU (for us, by
us, mostly seenby us) if onewere
being bothbrief andhonest. But
when asked if starring inGet Hard
held any significance for a black
comicwhomight be pigeonholed
as such, Hart scoffs andmaintains
that the success he’s had todate
is due tomaking people of all
stripes laugh.
“You can’t appeal to one racewith
being funny—everybody loves to
laugh,” he says. “Whenyou spread
yourself around, andyou actually go
andperform all across theworld, as
I have, andyoumake it anywhere
fromblack, white, Chinese, Mexican,
regardless of the language barrier,
you’remaking people laugh. And
thosewho have done that have
been successful.Whenyou speak to
the Chris Rocks andEddieMurphys
of theworld, theGeorge Carlins,
they appealed to people. That’swhy
theyhad success. So I think you’re
cheating yourself by only appealing
to one particular group of people.
I don’t think funnyhas a color.”
(MARCH27)
