Back in September, I wrote a blog post about how bad of a choice it was to have Eddie Murphy host next year's Oscars, and criticized the Academy for making yet another desperate, ill-advised decision.
Well, it seems my prayers have been answered, as it was just announced yesterday that Eddie Murphy has withdrawn himself as the hand-picked individual to host the award show's 84th go-around. Why did he resign on his own accord? Well, it all has to do with Brett Ratner.
Ratner, who is a lousy director, became friends with Murphy on the set of their latest movie together, Tower Heist. After filming had completed earlier in the year, Ratner was stupidly chosen by the Academy to be the producer for next year's telecast. He in turn asked his new best bud Murphy to host the show for him, a choice which the Academy also somehow approved of.
But then last week, during a Q&A session following a screening of Tower Heist, Ratner slipped and used the word "fag" during one of his responses. Just like the word "retard(ed)", uttering that word is a big no-no if one is of celebrity status and/or immersed in a world covered by the media. It's an easy street straight to raising controversy and having many activists pissed off at you.
However, it wasn't just the use of the derogatory slur that did him in. Sometime after that, he made an appearance on Howard Stern's show and talked in graphic detail about sex, masturbation, eating a woman out, the size of his balls, pubic hair, condom usage and past girlfriends. Basically, he outed himself as being the giant scumbag most already suspected that he was.
To his credit though, Ratner himself decided to pull-out as next year's producer, instead of being forced to resign by the Academy. Though, even if he hadn't made the decision himself, he would have surely been forced out eventually. The Academy doesn't like, and can preferably do without, any type of controversy...they're not the Golden Globes, after all.
And where Ratner goes, so does his new pet Eddie Murphy, and that's why he pulled-out fast and hard, immediately following Ratner's departure.
Thankfully, the Academy didn't waste any time in replacing Ratner; they made an intelligent decision for once and already hired Brian Grazer as his replacement. Grazer is a far more competent producer, with a decent track record of being attached to some gems like former Best Picture winner A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13, J. Edgar, and television shows like 24, Friday Night Lights, and Arrested Development.
Of course he's had some recent misses too, like being a producer on Tower Heist, and on that quickly canceled Playboy Club show. Though, he has far many more hits and a longer, more consistent track record of producing than Ratner. I have faith that Grazer will competently perform his duties well.
Hopefully the Academy can use this second chance to make another good decision and quickly hire Billy Crystal to be the host again. After all, he did previously express interest, so it shouldn't be that hard to convince him.
Of course he's had some recent misses too, like being a producer on Tower Heist, and on that quickly canceled Playboy Club show. Though, he has far many more hits and a longer, more consistent track record of producing than Ratner. I have faith that Grazer will competently perform his duties well.
Hopefully the Academy can use this second chance to make another good decision and quickly hire Billy Crystal to be the host again. After all, he did previously express interest, so it shouldn't be that hard to convince him.
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