Kevin Hart dismisses criticism of his son’s ‘cowboys and Indians’ party
Comedian Kevin Hart decided to use his Sirius XM radio show “Straight from the Hart” to clap back at the the negative feedback he and his wife Eniko received after posting photos on Thanksgiving of their one-year-old’s ‘cowboys and Indians’ party.
Online critics panned their son Kenzo’s “Wild West” themed party as “anti-indigenous” and racially insensitive.
Throwin a "Cowboys & Indians" birthday party on "Thanksgiving" celebrates genocide, white supremacy, & slavery. R those the things u @KevinHart4real & @enikohart represent & are teaching to your child? Would it be ok to throw a Master & slave birthday party? nope #nativetwitter pic.twitter.com/AnrZNUn3jn
— Mari posa (@solomamihood) November 25, 2018
Did Kevin Hart and Eniko really throw their 1-year-old a “Cowboys and Indians” themed birthday party... These celebrities really love their privilege to be socially ignorant.
— Clara Jaide (@clarajaide) November 23, 2018
Though the online commentary of the Hart family’s choice of party primarily leaned negative, some fans and supporters deemed the criticism as overblown. Celebrity blogger and dad Perez Hilton chimed in by saying the public should be outraged at bigger issues than a kid’s birthday party.
People need to get outraged over outrageous things! Not a kid’s birthday party! https://t.co/vC7pf8lZS4 #KevinHart
— Perez (@ThePerezHilton) November 27, 2018
Hart, who recently starred in the Atlanta-filmed “Night School” alongside Tiffany Haddish, broke his silence Wednesday, dismissing the disparaging feedback during his Sirius XM show.
“Keep in mind the (Dallas) Cowboys and (Washington) Redskins played the same day,” Hart joked. “It shows just how stupid our world is becoming with opinion ... This isn’t a racial slur. This is a game that’s been played for years.”
After his response, some applauded him and expressed that Hart should receive a break. Last year, the Philadelphia-native endured a blackmail and cheating scandal, which some say tarnished his “good guy” image.
When this man was out here allegedly cheating he was the trending topic. He gave his 1yr old a birthday party & he's still a trending topic. WTH do you all want him to do?
— Ms2Blessd2bStressd (@MsLuvmyfootball) November 29, 2018
Others still consider his dismissal of naysayers as being “tone deaf” to Native American history.
@KevinHart4real It’s problematic to reinforce a narrative using Cowboys & Indians cause you dangerously flirt with stereotypes, good guy vs bad guy simplistic roles about a serious event in American history. Millions died! U can’t be tone-deaf to that.
— Nova Phoenix (@Lyfeblood) November 29, 2018
About the Author
Stephanie has been telling stories her whole life. Her interest in the written word started with short stories and journal entries about run-ins with classroom bullies as a child and matured to writing for her high school newspaper over the years. She has written and edited for The Tennessean, Augusta Chronicle and American City & County.
