Acad's Oscar dilemma

As well as the champion is... certainly not the Academy.The big surprise wasn't the exit of Brett Ratner as Oscar producer but the fact he was hired to start with. It absolutely was another demonstration of AMPAS executives' dogged and misguided "why don't we get stylish" push to lure TV audiences. And when more, that tactic has switched around and bitten Oscar on his golden hind.Eddie Murphy's withdrawal as host on Wednesday was virtually another shoe losing. Nevertheless the whole flap points within the central dilemma for your Academy of motion Picture Arts & Sciences: In the world that's rapidly changing due to the economy, technology and audience tastes, the entertainment small business to ignore old business models. The format for your kudocast was radical in 1953, nevertheless the Academy and producers of other public honours shows, which simply imitate the Oscars, want to make bold options to produce the kudocasts to the twenty-first century.The employing of Ratner, to produce new perspective for the show, wasn't exactly bold: Cosmetic tweaks with a set-in-stone structure aren't the solution.If Academy honchos want a meeting that honors 24 groups equally round the air, that's their right once they and ABC professionals want a gangbusters Tv program that pulls huge audiences, that's great. But, clearly, they can't have both. And they have to find out they want.In some manner, somebody got the notion that the reply is to usher in fresh adding factors but pressure these to stay with the old format. Trust me, AMPAS professionals could hire Attacking Youthful Boys as well as the entire Kardashian family to host the show plus it still won't have the ratings they demand.The backlash against James Franco's hosting in February was from proportion to his performance (the media was a smaller amount critical of co-host Hathaway As Catwoman). Franco can be a gifted actor together with a multifaceted intellectual, which are not the initial qualities one seeks inside an Oscar host. Casting is essential in Hollywood, and Franco and Ratner were both oddly cast. As well as the media fury over Franco's work made an appearance a veiled slap within the Academy to get hired him.Similarly, Ratner has proven a effective director, but he's also cultivated a celebration-fratboy image. When he ongoing to push that image within the interview on "The Howard Stern Show" Monday, AMPAS professionals were shocked. But what did they expect?Ratner's homophobic remark was appalling and deserved being addressed. As appalling was AMPAS leader Tom Sherak's Monday whitewash in the comment: "He apologized and we'll proceed He's many pals that are people in the lgbt community." This can be a 2011 variation in the old "numerous my close buddies are..." excuse.Tom, In my opinion you're an excellent guy, however when I'm ever in the PR scrape, don't showed up inside my defense.Sherak needed a decidedly different tone within the comments after Ratner's bow-out Tuesday, saying Ratner "did the very best factor for your Academy too for themselves His comments were unacceptable."On Wednesday mid-day, AMPAS introduced its new producer: John Grazer (incidentally, a producer of "The Dilemma," which featured an unfunny anti-gay joke that Imagine rejected to eliminate despite protests).Grazer. Hmm. Clearly, the Academy isn't ready for a bold decision. But maybe next season. Contact Timothy M. Gray at tim.gray@variety.com