City Council makes July 6 ‘Kevin Hart Day’ in Philadelphia
Kevin Hart is so famous in Philly, he now has an official holiday here.
City Council on Thursday approved a measure from Councilman David Oh to honor the comedian with “Kevin Hart Day” on July 6, Hart’s birthday. Oh, in a release, said he introduced the resolution as “a simple way to show [Hart] gratitude” for being “a fantastic ambassador for the City of Philadelphia.”
“Whether through his hilarious sense of humor or through his heartfelt generosity towards his hometown, Kevin Hart knows how to bring a smile to everyone in Philadelphia,” Oh said.
Raised in North Philadelphia near 15th and Erie, Hart attended George Washington High School, and later the Community College of Philadelphia and Temple University. He broke into comedy by performing at amateur nights here in Philadelphia, and was a regular performer at the Laff House on South Street.
Since then, Hart has moved on to become on of comedy’s biggest stars, and last year was named the highest-paid comedian in the business by Forbes, topping even Jerry Seinfeld with an estimated $87.5 million made between June 2015 and June 2016.
Hart has worked to spread that success back to his hometown, particularly through donations to the Philadelphia School District. The comedian in 2013 donated $250,000 to Philly schools for new computers (four of which were later stolen), and followed that up in 2015 with four $50,000 college scholarships for Philly high school students in partnership with the United Negro College Fund.
Hart currently is back in town working with Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston on Untouchable, a remake of the hit 2011 French film, The Intouchables. The pair have been spotted a couple times recently.
While Philadelphia’s newly establish Kevin Hart Day is the comedian’s latest tribute holiday, it is not Hart’s first. Last year, the entire state of California named Feb. 22, 2016 as their own “Kevin Hart Day.”
