“I do not want to be a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing talented artists,” Kevin Hart said in a statement after refusing to apologize for old anti-LGBT tweets. The Comedian, who has had some of the biggest comedies this year, was given the job as host just two days before outrage over tweets which he wrote in 2011.

One of the tweets read: “Yo if my son comes home & try’s 2 play with my daughters doll house I’m going 2 break it over his head & say n my voice ‘stop that’s gay.’” Another tweet from 2009 read, in part, “What ru some type of FAT F-G that takes pics of small black men all day?”

While the Academy asked Hart to apologize, the star refused. “I chose to pass on the apology. The reason why I passed is I’ve addressed this several times. . . . I’ve said where the rights and wrongs were. I’ve said who I am now versus who I was then. I’ve done it. I’ve done it. I’m not going to continue to go back. . . . We feed on Internet trolls and we reward them. I’m not going to do it, man. I’m going to be me. I’m going to stand my ground. Regardless Academy, I’m thankful and appreciative of the opportunity. If it goes away, no harm, no foul.”

The Academy asked after Hart refused to delete the tweet or apologize to step down from hosting the awards show in February.