“These are the times when I…”

Kevin Hart, the king of comedy who packs arenas like Madison Square Garden, was once told to pack his bags and leave comedy for good. And not just anyone: These harsh reactions came from Lucien Hold, the legendary comedy talent booker behind icons like Eddie Murphy and Jerry Seinfeld. Yeah, let that sink in.

In a candid conversation at the WSJ Tech D. Live conference, Hart shared the moment that could have dashed his comedy dreams. “Have I had times where the question was whether this was it? Is it the career? Of course,” Hart admitted. But nothing hit harder than Hold’s words.

Hart had scrambled to get in front of Hold, a guy whose endorsement could make or break a career. “If this guy said you were funny, then you were funny,” Hart recalled. “If this guy said you had it, you had it.” So when Hart finally got the chance to show off his skills, he expected to hear validation. Spoiler alert: that’s not what happened.

“I played for him and he told me to my face that I should really think about finding another job,” Hart revealed. “I’m sitting in the chair in his office, waiting for the joke. I’m waiting for the punchline, and there wasn’t one. No sugarcoating, no glimmer of hope – just a brutal dismissal of his comedic talents.

For Kevin Hart, it was a hard blow. He had shed blood, sweat and tears to earn this meeting, only to hear the words no actor wants to hear. But instead of throwing in the towel, Hart used that moment as fuel. “It could have been a damaging moment, but those are the moments I choose to let go,” he said.

Hart came away with a lesson: Other people’s opinions don’t define your journey. “Everyone will always have an opinion,” he said. “But your action is based on your will and desire. When you allow others to dictate your moves, you will always be affected.

Fast forward to now, and Hart’s career speaks for itself. From blockbusters to sold-out comedy tours, he’s living proof that determination beats doubt every time. Hollywood’s gatekeepers might have tried to rule it out, but Hart rewrote the game instead.

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