The ordeal with Brett Ratner’s poor choice of words has begun a trickle-down effect, it seems. First, he pulls out of the producer’s chair of the 84th Academy Awards, and now his buddy and “Tower Heist” star Eddie Murphy has stated that he won’t host the Oscars.

According to the press release, Tom Sherak, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, announced that Murphy has withdrawn as host of the Academy Awards. “I appreciate how Eddie feels about losing his creative partner, Brett Ratner, and we all wish him well,” said Sherak.

Murphy said that he understands and supports the decisions of everyone involved when it comes to a change of producers, but he felt that he and Ratner’s vision for the show was just coming together. “I was truly looking forward to being a part of the show that our production team and writers were just starting to develop, but I’m sure that the new production team and host will do an equally great job.”

Ratner recently left his post as producer of the Oscars because of an anti-gay statement he made, which you can read about here.

The Oscars will air live Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center on ABC.