In just about a bit more time than Kim Khardashian was married to Kris Humphries, Eddie Murphy has resigned as host of the 84th Academy Awards, just days after Brett Ratner stepped down as Oscar Producer.
The press release from “The Academy” – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences – reads like the start of a soap opera. There’s Academy President Tom Sherak saying “I appreciate how Eddie feels about losing his creative partner, Brett Ratner, and we all wish him well.”
There’s Eddie Murphy saying “First and foremost I want to say that I completely understand and support each party’s decision with regard to a change of producers for this year’s Academy Awards ceremony. I was truly looking forward to being a part of the show that our production team and writers were just starting to develop, but I’m sure that the new production team and host will do an equally great job.”
What happened?
It all started when Ratner, picked to be the Oscar host for 2012, used an anti-gay slur, a no-no, but a huge one in the entertainment industry. A guest on the Howard Stern Show, Ratner said “rehearsal is for fags.” And then talked about his sex life.
Sherak asked for his resignation, then said “He did the right thing for the Academy and for himself. Words have meaning, and they have consequences. Brett is a good person, but his comments were unacceptable. We all hope this will be an opportunity to raise awareness about the harm that is caused by reckless and insensitive remarks, regardless of the intent.”
Stay tuned.
Bill Carroll