Hart's Afire
Men's Journal|November - December 2021
After a brush with death, the hottest comic in the world is finding happiness on new stages and new boardrooms. But will he ever return to the stadium?
By Jesse Will. Photography by Brian Bowen Smith
Hart's Afire

A few minutes after he enters the Zoom, Kevin Hart breaks off on a tangent. The world’s top-grossing comic is workshopping a bit in an empty L.A. soundstage—imagining what it would be like to address a full arena again for the first time since 2019. The 42-year-old Hart reclines on a tan leather couch in a white T-shirt, hand wrapped around a desktop mic. He dials up that high, kinetic voice. The one that’s made tens of millions of people lose their shit since his 2008 breakout.

“How’s everyone feelin’? Vaccinations? No vaccinations? Delta? No Delta? Masks? No masks? Hey, guys! Guys!! Take your masks off!! I mean, put ’em back on!! Wait—what side am I on? Oh, do y’all want me to put this on?? I will!”

“My next special’s gonna be called Confused as Fuck,” riffs Hart. “Because that’s what I am.”

PREVAILING WITH PURPOSE

This story is from the November - December 2021 edition of Men's Journal.

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This story is from the November - December 2021 edition of Men's Journal.

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