The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) announced on Wednesday that Eddie Murphy has withdrawn as host of this year’s Oscar ceremony.Host of the 84th Academy Awards®
Apparently, Brett Ratner (one of the producers of the telecast) made some “offensive” public remarks that upset some AMPAS members.
At the time of this writing, the folks here at BCNews could not establish whether Mr. Ratner refused to apologize for the “offensive” remarks, or if the apology offered was deemed disengenuous and as a result refused. In any event, Ratner resigns from the show. Now this is the part where Eddie Murphy comes in…
Eddie Murphy and Brett Ratner are friends… so much so that the only reason Murphy accepted the hosting gig was at the invitation of Ratner.
In fact the two had just finished collaborating on this year’s comedy caper, “Tower Heist.”
In a statement Murphy said, “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.”
Murphy already had a stormy history with the Oscars. He appeared on the show several times, most recently when he presented Jerry Lewis with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2009, but is famously known for making an early exit from the Kodak Theater in 2006 after losing to Alan Arkin in the Best Supporting Actor category.
That nomination, for “Dreamgirls,” was the only one of Murphy’s career.
One Academy member stated regarding Murphy’s decision, “He needs to stay on and work with the new producer, or it’ll look like he’s supporting the stuff that Brett said,” said one member of the public relations branch on Tuesday afternoon. “He won’t look good if he leaves now.”
Murphy, though, recently told Rolling Stone that he considers himself “a semi-retired gentleman of leisure,” and said, “I only want to do what I really want to do, otherwise I’m content to sit here and play my guitar all day.”
Early in his career, Murphy dealt with his own charges of homophobia, and apologized for joking about AIDS and using derogatory language to refer to gays.
Murphy’s exit leaves the Academy with two big holes to fill in the upcoming show: a producer to work alongside Don Mischer, and a host to replace Murphy.
While the producers are virtually always in place by this time of year, it is common for the Oscars not to have a host at this point in the calendar.
Of the last three Oscar hosts, or host teams, only the Steve Martin/Alec Baldwin pairing at the 2009 Oscars was announced in early November. Last year’s hosts, James Franco and Anne Hathaway, weren’t in place until November 29, while 2008 host Hugh Jackman wasn’t announced until mid December.
In the past, hosts have been announced as late as early January.
