14 DAY TRIAL // While promoting his latest film, “Tower Heist,” world-famous producer and director Brett Ratner got himself in a spot of trouble with a series of remarks. One such comment – a homophobic slur – just cost him his job as producer of the Oscars.
In a recent interview, Ratner let slip a very offensive slur. He's apologized for it since, but he's also determined to make amends by stepping down from the job he calls the biggest achievement of his life: that as producer of the Academy Awards.
Ratner has explained his reasons for resignation in an open letter that is available in full over at Deadline.
He will probably never apologize enough for saying those things, he writes. What's worse is that he doesn't even feel that way towards the LGBT community, he simply got accustomed to talking that way and then paid no attention to what came out of his mouth.
“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,” Ratner says.
“To them, and to everyone I’ve hurt and offended, I’d like to apologize publicly and unreservedly,” he stresses.
To prove that he's serious about making a change – in his life first, and then in the lives of others – Ratner will no longer act as producer of the Oscars.
“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,” Ratner says.
“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,” he adds.
He goes on to thank GLAAD for urging him to take action and right the wrong he's already done by suing his public platform to bash members of the LGBT community.
“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,” he says.
“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,” Ratner further says.