Oscar Producer Resigns After Remark

Film producer Brett Ratner entered the nightmare news cycle of late, which included accusations against Herman Cain and the continuing story at Penn State. Ratner uttered a gay slur and will now step down from his role in next year's Oscar show.
In what has been described as an open later, Ratner excused himself from his upcoming role in The Oscars, which was that of producer.
After giving his letter to Academy President Tom Sherak, Ratner issued the open letter to the entertainment industry, according to a release from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.
"He did the right thing for the Academy and for himself," Sherak said. "Words have meaning, and they have consequences. Brett is a good person, but his comments were unacceptable. We all hope this will be an opportunity to raise awareness about the harm that is caused by reckless and insensitive remarks, regardless of the intent."

The Academy also had to deal with the passing of one of its bright stars recently, Gil Cates. They, too, released a statement. Sherak again was the spokesperson when he noted: "Gil was our colleague, our friend and a former governor of the Academy," said Sherak. "He was a consummate professional who gave the Academy and the world some of the most memorable moments in Oscar® history. His passing is a tremendous loss to the entertainment industry, and our thoughts go out to his family."
Cates produced the Academy Awards® 14 times between 1990 and 2008.
Additional source: AMPAS