Jason Merritt/Getty ImagesIf only Kirk Cameron and Brett Ratner could have a little chat.
Perhaps the former Growing Pains teen idol would become a bit more enlightened about gays and lesbians...
Ratner is an incredible example of turning lemons into lemonade.
He's the guy who resigned as producer of this year's Oscars after it was discovered he used a gay slur during a promotional appearance for his latest flick, Tower Heist. Since then, Ratner has made more than good on his promise to speak out on gay rights.
"I knew that something positive was going to come out of it," Ratner told me at this weekend's L.A. premiere reading of 8. "It was unfortunate. But I'm happy to turn a negative into a positive, which is what always happens."
Not only is he working hand-in-hand with GLAAD, but Ratner is also cocurating a contest for the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN).
"We're going to have a bunch of filmmakers create PSAs about words that are not good to say," he explained. "Then I'm going present the winner with an at award at GLSEN's Respect Awards."
As for the Oscars that he didn't get to produce, Ratner said, "I think Brian [Grazer] did a great job of jumping in and saving it. It is a difficult job. It really is and people don't realize that."