Brett Ratner used the word "fag" in a derogatory way in a recent media event. What impresses me is how perfectly worded his pology was after. Usually these kinds of apologies are back handed, like "I didn't mean anything bad by it" and "If anyone was offended" -- I always feel like the undertone is "Sorry you're so frikkin' sensitive!"
Here's Ratner's:
An Open Letter to the Entertainment Industry from Brett Ratner
Dear Colleagues,
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. To them, and to everyone I’ve hurt and offended, I’d like to apologize publicly and unreservedly.
As difficult as the last few days have been for me, they cannot compare to the experience of any young man or woman who has been the target of offensive slurs or derogatory comments. And they pale in comparison to what any gay, lesbian, or transgender individual must deal with as they confront the many inequalities that continue to plague our world.
So many artists and craftspeople in our business are members of the LGBT community, and it pains me deeply that I may have hurt them. I should have known this all along, but at least I know it now: words do matter. Having love in your heart doesn’t count for much if what comes out of your mouth is ugly and bigoted. With this in mind, and to all those who understandably feel that apologies are not enough, please know that I will be taking real action over the coming weeks and months in an effort to do everything I can both professionally and personally to help stamp out the kind of thoughtless bigotry I’ve so foolishly perpetuated.
As a first step, 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. 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.
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. 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.
Sincerely,
Brett Ratner
Not a whiff of self-pity. It feels like he actually listened with an open heart to the people who gave him a talking to, and will actually change. That's the gold standard for post prejudice apologies.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
I give Brett Ratner an "A" for Apologies 101
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2 comments:
What's really ... sad, is the only word I can find that won't bring on a tirade of words I won't be able to stop myself from saying... what's really sad is that this happened in the first place.
And then Eddie Murphy withdrew in support? Of whom? - incomprehensible ... this is why I read celebrity trash magazines only once every six weeks, when I get my hair cut.
Oh yes, for SURE. But my hope is that apologies like this will help a few other people understand why it was wrong, and prevent future slurs.
But I must say, this use of fag or gay as equivalent for Something Stupid made a huge comeback with the generation that's now in their twenties, and younger. I didn't hear it much among my age group, even in college, cause of the gen xers working to get rid of it. So frustrating.
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