Do the Oscars Need to Fire Eddie Murphy for Saying &#39;Fag&#39; Too?S

In the wake of Brett Ratner resigning from producing what would have been History's Worst Oscars because he said "fag," should the Academy also be looking at what their host has said about gay people in the past too? Probably.

David Carr drew our attention to the above snippet from Eddie Murphy's Delirious, the popular stand up special filmed at the height of his popularity in 1983. In this section he repeatedly refers to gay people as "faggots," and makes all sorts of off-color jokes about them.

If Ratner got the axe (and not the body spray) for using the epithet, should Murphy get it too? It would be an easy excuse to erase Ratner's decision to tap him as host, a decision that seemed spurred to sell more tickets to the Ratner/Murphy movie Tower Heist (in theaters now!) than because he would be a good fit for the job. And just who would the Academy get to replace these two? Ryan Murphy and Neil Patrick Harris? That might be an over correction. But seriously, someone call NPH!

Yes, this is comedy and different from what Brett Ratner said. Yes, this was filmed almost 30 years ago and Eddie Murphy's stance on saying the f-word in public might have changed. But should Ratner's crime be equated with Murphy's? Do we have to start firing everyone who says "fag" in public?

Update: Well, it looks like Murphy has already decided for us. He stepped down as Oscar host. That was quick.