Bruce Vilanch Not Writing Oscars for Brett Ratner

Veteran comic Bruce Vilanch, who has written for the Oscars since 1989, says it's unlikely he'll be involved in the upcoming ceremony to be produced by Brett Ratner and hosted by Eddie Murphy, reports The Wrap.

Ratner told the Los Angeles Times over the weekend that he and coproducer Don Mischer have hired a new crop of writers for the 84th Annual Academy Awards, to be hosted by his Tower Heist star Eddie Murphy. Some of the writers have ties to Ratner, including the screenwriters of his new film, and only one longtime Oscar-show writer, Jon Macks, made the list.

The Wrap asked Vilanch if he was going to work on the show this year, to which he replied by email, "Guess not."

Vilanch has been writing for the awards since 1989 and has been head writer since 2000. Vilanch has written for numerous hosts, including Whoopi Goldberg, David Letterman, and Billy Crystal.

Ratner revealed to The Wrap today that with the exception of Macks, all the writers he announced were on board just to write for the show's host, Eddie Murphy. Ratner says hasn't yet determined how much of a writing staff he'd need for the rest of the show. The Wrap suggests that staff could possibly still include Vilanch.

Entertainment website Deadline has criticized Ratner's recent behavior as undignified for a producer of the Academy Awards. Ratner, currently under fire for a homophobic comment made during a Q&A prior to a screening of Tower Heist over the weekend and for which he apologized, has also appeared on talk shows recently discussing his prolific sexual exploits and offered unkind remarks about actress Olivia Munn.