Arts & Entertainment
Michael Che defends Kevin Hart in Oscars controversy
Nick Cannon, DL Hughley also defend the comedian


Michael Che (Screenshot via YouTube)
Michael Che defended Kevin Hart amid the Oscars controversy during the “Weekend Update” segment on the latest episode of “Saturday Night Live.”
Hart was on board to host the Academy Awards in February but stepped down after old homophobic tweets and jokes resurfaced.
“I sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community for my insensitive words from my past,” Hart apologized on Thursday. “I am evolving and want to continue to do so.”
Che kicked off his commentary by criticizing the Academy for nominating Mel Gibson for Best Director for “Hacksaw Ridge” despite Gibson’s track record of making antisemitic, homophobic and racist comments.
“Didn’t the Academy nominate Mel Gibson for an award just last year?” Che asks.”If Kevin Hart isn’t clean enough to host the Oscars, then no black comic is. The only black comic I know that’s cleaner than Kevin Hart is booked for the next three to 10 years.”
A photo of Bill Cosby appears on screen after the joke.
Che isn’t the only comedian to defend Hart. Nick Cannon posted old tweets from female comedians Chelsea Handler, Amy Schumer and Sarah Silverman which include the word “fag” or “faggot.”
“Interesting. I wonder if there was any backlash here,” Cannon tweeted.
Interesting? I wonder if there was any backlash here… https://t.co/0TlNvgYeIj
— Nick Cannon (@NickCannon) December 8, 2018
DL Hughley also made it clear he stands by Hart in a series of tweets.
Well played @KevinHart4real! Fuck em if they can’t take a joke!! #TeamDl ??????? pic.twitter.com/gDXIHFExJh
— DL Hughley (@RealDLHughley) December 7, 2018
A Comedian says something that offends people and refuses to apologize? What do I say?…..Fuck em if they can’t take a joke! Well done #KevinHart #TeamDl
— DL Hughley (@RealDLHughley) December 7, 2018
“Pose” star and transgender actress Indya Moore called out Hughley for defending Hart but Hughley stood firm on his viewpoint.
Fail!! Lol!!!! I make a living doing what love, put kids through college, paid for my homes, and travel the world, and still don’t give a shit what a pussy like u thinks
— DL Hughley (@RealDLHughley) December 7, 2018

The fourth annual Equality Prince William Pride was held at the Harris Pavilion in Manassas, Va. on Saturday, May 17.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)






















The Washington Blade held its 18th annual Summer Kickoff Party in Rehoboth Beach, Del., on Friday, May 16. Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer spoke along with State Sen. Russ Huxtable, CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Kim Leisey, Blade Editor Kevin Naff, and Clear Space Theatre Managing Director Joe Gfaller. The event raises funds for the Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which was awarded to AU student Abigail Hatting.
(Washington Blade photos by Daniel Truitt)



















In some fowl fiction foreshadowing, a gay-owned chicken joint has come home to roost on U Street, taking a page from the chicken window subplot on the HBO show “Looking.”
Last Friday, Lucky Pollo – much more than just a takeout window – stretched its wings atop the busy nightlife corner of 14th and U Streets NW.
Behind the poultry production place is Zach Renovátes, a D.C.-based nightlife operator and managing partner of LGBTQ venues Bunker and District Eagle, as well as the LGBTQ event production company KINETIC Presents.
Renovátes opened Bunker in February 2023 and District Eagle in January of this year. Lucky Pollo is the third in his growing gay empire, though this time there are noshes.
“Lucky Pollo was meant to be fun and a little provocative,” Renovátes said.
Based around its Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken, Lucky Pollo is a quick-service restaurant boasting a small menu of poultry and sides. Renovátes says that the dishes are deeply rooted in Peruvian culinary tradition, “a playful experience alongside seriously good food.”
Lucky Pollo’s signature chicken is steeped in a dozen-plus-spice marinade for 24 hours. The meat is then slow-roasted, rotisserie-style, over oak-wood charcoal. Chicken options include quarter, half, and whole.
Helming the kitchen at Lucky Pollo is Chef Luis Herrera, who brings Peruvian recipes passed down through three generations, including his grandmother Laura’s original creations.

Beyond the full bird, the menu features Peruvian-inspired sides like yuca fries (“I personally love these,” says Renovátes) and fried plantains, as well as comfort classics such as mac and cheese and mashed potatoes, and bowls, wraps, and salads. Herrera oversees development of the multiple sauces (including staff favorite, the “secret green sauce”), crafted in-house using traditional Peruvian ingredients.
Lucky Pollo, in its streetside perch, is an independent concept from District Eagle, open to the public and staying open late (3 a.m. on weekends) to serve both nightlife guests and the wider U Street crowd hungry for late-night bites. However, just beyond the kitchen, tucked in the back lies a vintage 1950s candy machine—labeled “Out of Order,” which serves as the door leading to subterranean District Eagle.
Renovátes notes that when District Eagle is open, security staff will maintain a strict two-line policy, ensuring that those seeking meat to eat will not get entwined with those looking to gain access to District Eagle.
Lucky Pollo unites the need for sustenance with the idea of a bit of fortune, given its motto, “Get Lucky” and the whimsical brand mascot: a leather-booted chicken perched on a horseshoe. Renovátes and his District Eagle business partner had always been interested in opening a restaurant, and the Lucky Pollo space was indeed lucky: It already came with a functional kitchen. Plus, he says, the nearby fast-casual places around 14th and U streets “don’t offer a lot of quality options,” so opening the chicken spot “was a no-brainer.”
The space, designed by NYC creative Jasin Cadic, blends theatrical street-art-style vibes with Keith Haring-inspired wall prints, neon signs, and ceiling-hung chicken figurines —”some edgy, some sweet,” says Renovátes —creating an immersive, playful atmosphere. Lucky Pollo and District Eagle maintain separate amenities for their respective customers.
Lucky Pollo opened last week with a competition to devour a whole rotisserie chicken in the fastest time, with the winner earning $1,000 and a framed spot on the restaurant’s “Wall of Fame.” The opening also featured other games and prizes, and a full crowd spilling out the door.
“We want it to be a great place to eat, but also serve as a playful front for something completely unexpected.” Renovátes says.
On weekends especially, he jokes, the motto will be, ‘Come for the chicken, stay for the cock.’”