OSCAR® 2012 answered the question, who will present next season’s bow.
Hollywood’s search for a host to open its annual recognition of cinema’s finest, picked up speed again after another industry mishap, relative to tête-à-tête This time around producer-director Brett Ratner, X-Men: The Last Stand, partook of entertainment headlines with an abrupt decision to step down from producing next year’s OSCARS®.
Ratner opined view expressing his sentiment of Hollywood and its lackluster performance with production and value.
However, he used an axiom, misstated which drew rapid retort from organizations not in support of marginalization. What Ratner said created a lash of reaction from entertainment at large, followed by a publicly issued apology, and near immediate reaction from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. A slur remarked during a Q&A, while promoting the film Tower Heist, Ratner, imbued resounding affect on multiple sectors, Hollywood, with general malaise in retrospect. Actor Eddie Murphy, culled to host next years’ Oscarcast, stepped down from the gig thereafter. The Academy has queued Don Mischer and Brian Grazer to replace producer lead, Grazer an award-winner of Best Picture Oscar, A Beautiful Mind.
Ratner’s commentary, while considered jest, was perceived derisively, its tone turning a spotlight on homophobic treatment of individuals on a larger platform – globally.
Additional comments the director made in an interview with Howard Stern, and open posturing about sexual lifestyle on Attack of the Show, furthered attention on previous errs. What the director said was paralleled keenly with colloquial reference, to a “cigarette.”
After Ratner’s opinions spread abroad Monday, Tuesday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences issued statement:
“This morning, Brett Ratner submitted his resignation as a producer of the 84th annual Academy Awards to Academy President Tom Sherak. Ratner then issued an open letter to the entertainment industry in which he explained his decision.
“He did the right thing for the Academy and for himself,” Sherak said. “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.”
The Academy has had its share of temporary woe with Oscar® frontlines – from possible rescheduling plan after Martin Luther King’s passing in the 60’s, to this year’s earlier near mod-host-fail with the beautiful and talented Anne Hathaway and goth-esque thesp, James Franco. However, The Academy continues to aspire to reinvent and present fresh outlook and modern mainstay. This week, Hollywood began its annual ritual of presenting its best picks in online and television advertisements, on tract to the Oscars® 2012.
Billy Crystal, previous Oscar® host, has been asked to deliver for the upcoming 2012 season.
Brett Ratner’s apology:
“An Open Letter to the Entertainment Industry from Brett Ratner
Dear Colleagues,
Over the last few days, I’ve gotten a well-deserved earful from many of the people I admire most in this industry expressing their outrage and disappointment over the hurtful and stupid things I said in a number of recent media appearances. To them, and to everyone I’ve hurt and offended, I’d like to apologize publicly and unreservedly.
As difficult as the last few days have been for me, they cannot compare to the experience of any young man or woman who has been the target of offensive slurs or derogatory comments. And they pale in comparison to what any gay, lesbian, or transgender individual must deal with as they confront the many inequalities that continue to plague our world.
So many artists and craftspeople in our business are members of the LGBT community, and it pains me deeply that I may have hurt them. I should have known this all along, but at least I know it now: words do matter. Having love in your heart doesn’t count for much if what comes out of your mouth is ugly and bigoted. With this in mind, and to all those who understandably feel that apologies are not enough, please know that I will be taking real action over the coming weeks and months in an effort to do everything I can both professionally and personally to help stamp out the kind of thoughtless bigotry I’ve so foolishly perpetuated.
As a first step, I called Tom Sherak this morning and resigned as a producer of the 84th Academy Awards telecast. Being asked to help put on the Oscar show was the proudest moment of my career. But as painful as this may be for me, it would be worse if my association with the show were to be a distraction from the
Academy and the high ideals it represents.
I am grateful to GLAAD for engaging me in a dialogue about what we can do together to increase awareness of the important and troubling issues this episode has raised and I look forward to working with them. I am incredibly lucky to have a career in this business that I love with all of my heart and to be able to work alongside so many of my heroes. I deeply regret my actions and I am determined to learn from this experience.
Sincerely,
Brett Ratner”
The outstanding achievement for 2011 will be honoured at the Kodak Theatre, Hollywood, California at the Hollywood & Highland Center®, televised live by ABC Television Network, February 26, 2012.
The Oscars® televises in over 200 countries worldwide, live.
