It has been quite the couple of days surrounding the Oscars. As most gay men can agree, the Oscars are one of the most exciting nights of any given year and in the last 24 hours we’ve had the upcoming event’s producer AND host quit. It all started when the director of Tower Heist, Brett Ratner, was caught on camera telling a crowd after a screening of his current #2 at the box-office non-hit film that ‘rehearsals are for fags’. Classy. He soon quit the upcoming Oscars, where he was serving as a producer and released the statement below to the film industry. It’s quite long. Feel free to skim.

“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”

NOW today the host (and star of Tower Heist) has quit the upcoming show and released his own statement, which much more succinctly reads:

“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.”

AND in a very quick turn, the team from Funny Or Die released a bizarre parody of the situation featuring the sexy cub Adam Pally, who plays a gay man on the hilarious sitcom Happy Endings, as Ratner.

What a mess! What do you make of it all? Was Ratner being homophobic? And who would you like to step in and be the host? Anyone else thinking a tag-team of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler?! Let me know in the comments! Until tomorrow.

Terrence

Categories: Gay Men Terrence