Film Director Brett Ratner, whose homophobic slur in 2011 resulted in a controversy that forced him to step down as co-producer of the 2012 Academy Awards broadcast, will receive GLAAD’s Ally Award in recognition for his participation in a series of public service announcements featuring straight celebrities and athletes “coming out of the closet” as supporters of LGBT equality.
Brett Ratner
GLAAD, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, announced Friday that Ratner will receive the honor at the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York City on March 16, where it will also premiere a PSA helmed by Ratner.
Ratner directed and produced the PSA series, donating his time to raise support for LGBT people, said GLAAD, in a statement.
Participants include Charlie Sheen (Anger Management), Jackie Chan, Tamala Jones (Castle), Giada De Laurentiis (Food Network), and Pauley Perrette (NCIS). Additional participants and videos will be released later this month. Videos will direct viewers to take action on GLAAD’s website.
Comcast will serve as a leading media partner for the PSA campaign, contributing $1.5 million in national airtime on its Xfinity TV cable systems and bringing this important message to more than 20 million homes over the next year.
“Brett Ratner’s dedication and leadership will inspire countless people to speak out in support of LGBT friends, family, neighbors and children,” GLAAD President Herndon Graddick. “From high school jocks to faith leaders, those who follow Brett’s lead are admired and heralded, while anti-LGBT bullies are increasingly ridiculed and marginalized.”In 2011, Ratner ignitied a firestorm of criticism for using a gay slur, in which he said “rehearsal is for fags.” He later apologized for the comment, saying, “It was a dumb way of expressing myself.”
Following the incident, Ratner teamed with GLAAD to direct and produce the LGBTQ supportive video campaign.
He also partnered with director Tom Ford, the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN), the Ad Council and Talenthouse on a PSA that addressed the prevalent use of anti-gay language among teens as part of GLSEN’s “Think Before You Speak” PSA campaign.
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WTF? No wonder the gay community is struggling. We give awards to people who don’t understand or support us. So he did some public service messages… so what? What has he done in the big picture of things. Wow. How soon we forget.
Thing of convenience for everyone. One year you can think GLBT persons are scum, and need to burn in hell, the next get an award for a few words of “apology”, etc. Disgusting.
this guy is such a tard.
I hate that standards for what constitutes an “ally” are so low. First Katy Perry, now this schmuck? Everybody sucks.
I don’t think he should be getting the ally award at all, but you guys are being ridiculously dismissive of his turn around. Being such critical dicks isn’t a good way to convince people to stop being assholes themselves.
Rich Hernandez – using a demeaning slur to describe a guy who used a different demeaning slur? That’s really classy.
So he realized that he made a mistake and he’s trying to help others learn from that and people don’t want to forgive him? How are you supposed to expect change in others if you don’t allow them to change?
WHAT?
At some point in our lives, we have to realize that people do in fact grow. We do shift our mindset and mature. Now, I don’t know about this guy or his process of changing but it could be legit. Some of you guys hold grudges and want revenge-that isn’t right. Society has a tight grip and resuses to let people who have done shady things in the past, grow and see their true potential
News flash-people can actually change, and we should actually forgive them.
There’s a difference between forgiveness and giving him an award.
Hey! Don’t fucking diss Katy Perry!
Ky, Jeanie is referring to the initial comments on here.
WTF?
Ooooo, he donated his time. What a big effort that must have been for him.
I’m fine with forgiveness, we should all strive to be able to do so. That doesn’t mean give the guy an award for not being a dick for a whole year.
One more gay organization that doesn’t actually support gays, off my charity list.
You know he didn’t just donate his time. He helped create the PSAs that would be shown to millions of people to get the word out. That’s rather significant. It’s not like he was just sitting in the office cleaning up and greeting some gay people and hearing their stories. He was trying to show how a word, that he himself used, is harmful. He is trying to make amends.
PR spin at work.