Brett Ratner resigns as Oscar producer, world heaves collective sigh of relief
By Alex HeiglNovember 9th, 2011, 10:45 amComments (25)
Brett Ratner has withdrawn from his role as producer of the 84th Annual Academy Awards. The Rush Hour auteur and X-Men franchise despoiler cited his controversial statement, "Rehearsal is for fags," and the heat that it drew, as his reason for dropping out.
I'd cite his apology letter, ("An Open Letter to the Entertainment Industry from Brett Ratner") but I can paraphrase it pretty easily:
People called me out on my fratty, douchey comment. I'm sorry they were offended.
People were mean to me because I said dumb shit, but I guess it's not as bad as what LGBT people face every day, even though I'm famous and therefore more important.
Apparently, if you're famous, you can't get away with locker-room talk, especially if you're doing it in a public Q&A session, or on The Howard Stern Show. I will now embark on a series of hollow appearances and half-assed talk-show stops that will attempt to convince everyone I don't suck.
I quit the Oscars, even though it would have lent a smattering of class to a career marked with so much crap, and this bums me out.
Once again, I'm sorry, but please look out for Rush Hour 4.
Sincerely,
Brett Ratner
Now, I have to police the comment boards, so I'm well aware that there's a raging debate over whether "fag" has passed into the lexicon (with people citing South Park as the supreme arbiter of this, for some reason) and therefore can be used free of its hate-speech implications. And yes, that may be a semi-valid point. But not when you're a talentless hack who came from money and continues to foist bullshit upon the American public. Then, you can watch your mouth.
Also, Brett, you're not a "storyteller." Rehearsal isn't for "fags;" it's for people who don't want to make shitty movies.
Commentarium (25 Comments)
If you're referring to my comment about the South Park episode, you really need to read more carefully. Not only do I not believe South Park is the "final arbiter" of this issue, but I very clearly stated that I wish South Park's take "were" right -- subjunctive mood indicating a condition contrary to fact. It would be great if the homophobic aspect of "f**" disappeared, along with bullying and homophobia itself, but sadly it hasn't. The other tip off would have been this part of what I wrote: "I think it's a bad term to use."
That wasn't meant as an attack on you, prof. -- you're a great commenter. I have, however, brought up this issue with friends that all similarly cited South Park and do so in nearly every other argument about an issue. Unclear phrasing on my part.
Your friends are children.
Whoops. If we are being literal, then rehearsal is for bundles of sticks. But the word fag has changed meanings and now is often used in a negative connotation that has nothing to do with gays. Let's look at words the author has used that mean something different than their literal definition; douchey, shit, suck, half-assed, crap, hack, bullshit, shitty.
Say what you want about his work and he may be a bigot, but this one quote is much ado about nothing.
I think there's a distinction to be made between the words on your list and words and phrases like "f**" or "n*****" or "gypped" or "jewed him down" (I'd like to elide those with asterisks, too, but then I don't think they'd be understandable; sorry if they are triggery) . The words on your list don't have a hate-speech element to them; that is, even though they may be used hatefully, their origins are not based on defining a minority and subjecting them to bigotry. So even though Ratner clearly didn't mean to suggest that only gay men rehearse -- any more than someone who says "the phone company gypped me" means to suggest the phone company is run by the Roma -- it's still wrong and hurtful.
Good point. Always a pleasure, Prof.
It's amazing how sensitive we've become. Using the word "fag" doesn't make someone homophobic. (If he took a baseball bat and attacked homosexuals, THAT is homophobic.) He was clearly joking when he made the remark, and it's sad that the media and the current 'soccer mom culture' has to hold his feet to the fire for such a lame quip. The fact of the matter is it's refreshing to meet someone who is down to earth and genuine. Though I don't condone what he did, I equate it someone accidentally farting in a crowded party. It would have been more mature, just to ignore it and let him host the Oscars.
See above.
Anyone want a smoke?
is it ok to call people sissies?
I am a sissy.
Learning a ton from these neat artcleis.
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Now you say something