Eddie Murphy has pulled out of his hosting duties for the upcoming Oscars.
The news comes just three months before the annual awards show, and just one day after Brett Ratner bowed out of his duties as a producer for the awards show. Ratner resigned due to the fallout of some pretty racy public comments and the use of an anti-gay slur.
Ratner is also the guy who brought in his Tower Heist star to host in the first place, so Eddie’s stepping down shouldn’t be a complete shock.
Here is a statement from the academy.
Beverly Hills, CA – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Tom Sherak announced that Eddie Murphy has withdrawn as host of the 84th Academy Awards. “I appreciate how Eddie feels about losing his creative partner, Brett Ratner, and we all wish him well,” said Sherak.
Commented Murphy, “First and foremost I want to say that 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.”
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.
It will be interesting to see who they scrape up to fill in in such short notice. Yes, three months is short notice for something this big.
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