The Academy Awards

Is Brett Ratner having the worst week ever? This latest news might be the biggest blow in a series of headline-grabbing events for the director: The Hollywood Reporter broke the news that he's officially withdrawn from co-producing the 84th annual Academy Awards.

Ratner's bad week started off with his latest movie, 'Tower Heist,' coming in second place in the box office on its opening weekend, well behind reigning cartoon cat 'Puss in Boots.' 'Puss' snagged $33 million in its second weekend, while 'Heist' underperformed with a mediocre $25.1 million debut. The crime caper comedy reportedly cost around $75 million to make, and marked Eddie Murphy's return to the land of PG-13 movies alongside an all-star cast that includes Ben Stiller.

Ratner made matters worse by using a gay slur while talking about 'Tower Heist' at a Q&A for the movie over the weekend, saying "rehearsals are for fags." The Internet immediately pounced on the comment, landing the already controversial director in even more hot water.

Being the host the Academy Awards is a job that's scrutinized almost as much as being President of the United States.

It's a strange notion when you think about it, mainly because the host's job is to do an "opening act," usually involving a musical number or comedic monologue, then basically step out of the way while the presenters and performers traipse across the Kodak Theatre stage and give out Oscars. If the host lets loose an occasional quip while introducing a presenter or a Best Song nominee, all the better. But, after the first half hour of the show, the host really doesn't matter all that much.

So, when the news broke that James Franco and Anne Hathaway have been selected to host the 83rd Academy Awards on February 27, my reaction was pretty much "why the hell not?" Oscar hosting is such a crapshoot that pretty much anyone the Academy and producers Bruce Cohen and Don Mischer would have picked had an equal chance to shine or stink.

But Hathaway and Franco could be an inspired choice if things break right, for a number of reasons:

Don't you just love it when life sort of imitates art?

Jon Hamm, who plays the chain smoking Don Draper on TV's 'Mad Men,' has been hired by Mercedes Benz as a pitchman for their car commercials, which will premiere during the Academy Awards.

This means, of course, that Mr. Hamm will replace actor Richard Thomas who has done the voiceover for Mercedes' car commercials for the last four years. Good night Jon-Boy.

The company's marketing VP Stephen Cannon called Hamm "a hot actor." That must have been one awkward audition.