TALMAG OCTOBER | Page 34

32 THEATRE AND FILMS from receiving money in the divorce, due to the fact that she is a comedian herself with sufficient income to support herself. The pair’s relationship troubles have made their way into both of their stand-up acts. Even though negative remarks were made about one another during the course of the divorce proceedings, Hart says there are no hard feelings, stating, “We just didn’t work out, but we’re friends.” Hart’s relationship with his father is much better now that the latter has recovered from his addiction. He said in an interview with The New York Times, “My dad said I was supposed to be on drugs. I was like, ‘Dad, shut up,’ but then I thought about it, and it was stupid, but it made sense. He was saying that basically he was my example to never go down that road. Hart also talks about his mother in his stand-up routine, portraying her as a loving, yet intimidating woman. In 2006 she succumbed to cancer. On April 14, 2013, Hart was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving after his black Mercedes nearly collided with a tanker truck on a Southern California freeway. Hart failed a field sobriety test and was booked for misdemeanour DUI. He was released after payment of a $5,000 bond. In 2005, he was nominated for the BET Platinum Mic Viewers’ Choice Award. In 2012 Hart was named MVP of the NBA Celebrity All-Star Game regardless of the fact that he was ejected in the fourth quarter for cursing at the referee and taking off one of his shoes and throwing the other across the court. He scored eight points and had six assists in the game. Hart then hosted the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards. His longtime friend Judd Apatow, the director who gave him his first big on-screen break in the TV series Undeclared, was the one who recommended him for the gig. Hart hopes that this will project him further into a side career as an emcee, stating, “Hopefully after MTV, of course we’re talking Emmys, Oscars, whatever.” In 2012, Hart won a Best Actor trophy at the BET Awards for his performance in the box-office hit movie Think Like a Man.