It's been said that every funny comedian has a dark side that they are trying to cover up. For comedic legend Richard Pryor, it may have been his childhood being brought up in a brothel or his drug addiction. For Eddie Murphy, it could be his failed relationships. But for funnyman Kevin Hart and his signature manic storytelling, it's none of these--because he's not trying to hide anything. As a matter of fact, it is those sometimes crazy stories that are the most funny--and they are all true.
For most of Kevin's fans, they remember the story on his blockbuster stand-up tour, Laugh At My Pain, where he talks about his dad insane drug habit. During an interview promoting his comedy tour, Kevin explained why his outlook on his unique and sometimes troubling childhood is different than most and why his dad is one of his favorite people now.
'"My mom worked at the University of Pennsylvania as a computer analyst and my father was a drug addict," explains Kevin. In fact his dad once stole $20 from Kevin to buy drugs when he was just six years old.
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“From ages two through eight my dad did what he could before his addiction got out of hand and he disappeared,” Hart said. “The way I see it is things happen for a reason. If my dad had been around and didn’t do drugs, I may be handling my success differently. I may be on drugs; I may be searching for something.”
Hart said that watching his father make those kind of mistakes inspired him to want to be better.
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"I'm such a great father because I've seen the mistakes my dad has made," Hart says emphatically.
He also credited his mother with keeping him off the streets.
“It may have affected my mom, but she didn't let it be seen. My mom was such a strong woman she said, ‘Look, regardless of whatever your father’s doing and where he is, I have a job to do raising you, you’re going do what you’re supposed to do and you’re going to grow up to be two intelligent men’ — with me and my brother,” he said. “School was of the importance, and then with our neighborhood — it wasn’t a good neighborhood — she kept me off the streets. I applaud my mother. Rest in peace.”
Kevin's mother died in 2007 from cancer.
Many believed that Kevin's father had died as well. But that couldn't be far from the truth. He's actually a lung cancer survivor and now doing better than ever, thanks to Kevin and his brother Robert.
Now his father is clean and sober, Hart has forgiven him, and doesn't judge him for the things that happened in the past.
'I understand that nobody's perfect, people are flawed, people make mistakes,' says Hart. 'I shouldn't hold a high level of judgement over your head about things I can't change.
"My dad is good man. He turned his life around. Me and my brother. We got together and said as a team we can help dad out. We put him in rehab. He got clean. He also met an amazing woman who helped him turn his life around. I bought him a house. That's my dad. That's my dude."
When asked if there was any ill will towards his dad not being there. Kevin simply replied:
"Why? You only have one life. You'll be still hurting if you hold that hurt inside. I can say 100% that I am happy. I choose to be happy. Life is too short man. Be a blessing."
Here's one of the many hilarious bits Kevin shares about his dad:
https://youtu.be/70gme6lL86o
