Farrah and Bea Arthur

[agnes!]

I would rather have a longer (or perhaps two-part) memorial for those in the industry who have died. They could have cut most of the really bad jokes; Alex Baldwin was certainly in the wrong venue; Ben Stiller could have been left out entirely; as much as I like Neil Patrick Harris, they could have cut that and no one would have missed it. If they would have stuck with the traditional five best movie nominations, they would have saved a ton of time. This was certainly not one of their better Academy Awards presentations. I also thought that many of the "stars" present didn't look too thrilled to be there...and come on, were there a lot of turn downs from those who could have been presenters? Milley Cyrus? Puh-lease! Her mom needs to tell her to stand up straight; seemed to be a lot of bad posture especially from the younger, female presenters.

I think Miley looked like she was afraid her dress would fall down, she was hunched over so much because she thought her girls might pop out of that slightly-skimpy little strapless number. And I agree, both Ben Stiller's "bit" and Neil Patrick Harris' production number went on too long.

Soundtracks makes one eligible, so that's why Michael made the cut. TV shows and sitcoms do not make one eligible. Does anyone know of any feature film Farrah or Bea made, that was not made fr TV? I can't recall, but if there is one, then they should have been included.

For references to Miss Fawcett's 20-some feature career in movies which included the Oscar-nominated "The Apostle", take a look at Posts 19, 25 & 41 in this thread. I would also refer you to Miss Fawcett's listing at IMDb.com http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000396/ . She had at least as legitimate a career as Brittany Murphy.

Thinking about Mr. Jackson's soundtrack credits, they are listed on his IMDb page http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001391/ , in my opinion it's surprising how few soundtrack credits he actually had.

Listen, I don't begrudge Michael Jackson getting a mention at the Oscars - he became even bigger in death than he had been in life and I actually agree about Bea Arthur not being included, but I still think the AMPAS people made a spectacularly poor decision by ignoring Farrah Fawcett's passing. And that if the telecast had perhaps come off a bit better, the brouhaha about the In Memoriam segment wouldn't be as severe.

The whole Oscars broadcast is an artificial construct now anyway...it's an theatrical features awards whose sole purpose for being has become the television broadcast of the show and not the event itself.

agnes!

 

[FINFAN]

Maybe they needed Rayn O'Neal to release info/pic's ok I know he does not have to be involved, but for some reason, I picture him as not being bummed about the oversight. OT, yep, but had to say it. Done now, I agree with Deluxepeincess, and honor them ourselves.

 

[shortbun]

Seems the producer said it was a "lack of time" thing.

Could have saved some valuable time by eliminating that awful Neil Patrick Harris production number.

Yah, that was painful.

 

[agnes!]

Here's the latest from USA Today:

Academy:Farrah Fawcett omission was 'not an oversight'

Ryan O'Neal says he can't believe the decision by the Academy Awards to omit Farrah Fawcett from the "In Memoriam" segment of Sunday's show.

"It was a terrible decision and very hurtful," O'Neal tells Radar Online. "Farrah was a member of the Academy for over 40 years and we could not believe she did not get a mention." Patrick Swayze, Michael Jackson and Brittany Murphy were included in the segment.

O'Neal says he watched the show with daughter Tatum, and they plan to protest. "Both Tatum and I were very upset and we intend to write a letter to the Academy to try and get an explanation for this oversight on their behalf."

Leslie Unger, a rep for the Academy, tells Radar that "unfortunately we don't include everyone." She told E!, it was "not an oversight."

http://content.usatoday.com/communi...omission-was-not-an-oversight/1#uslPageReturn

Now that is really cold...Miss Fawcett was actually a long-standing member of the Academy, as were other memorialized Academy members Patrick Swayze, Natasha Richardson, Brittany Murphy, Karl Malden, David Carradine and Horton Foote. The entire list of members who passed away since February 2009 can be found here: http://www.oscars.org/academy/members/memoriam.html

Oddly enough, Bea Arthur and Michael Jackson were not members. I kind of wish that someone at AMPAS had had the guts to contact Miss Fawcett's loved ones to tell them that there just wasn't enough time to include all the members who passed away during the past year.

agnes!

 

[phorsenuf]

Oscars bosses defend Fawcett snub

By WENN.COM







Farrah Fawcett. (David Livingston/WENN.COM)

Bosses at the Oscars have defended their decision to leave Farrah Fawcett out of the memorial montage - insisting it's impossible to pay tribute to every star who passed away in the last year.

The Charlie's Angels actress, who died in June, was absent from the Academy Awards' tribute section on Sunday night, which marked the deaths of stars including Brittany Murphy and Patrick Swayze.

The snub sparked speculation she was left out because of her predominant television career, with some online critics slamming the ceremony heads for not adding her to the clip.

Jane Fonda was also shocked Fawcett was left out, and wrote on Twitter.com: "Where was Farrah Fawcett? She should have been included."

Screenwriter Roger Ebert added, "No Farrah in the memorial. They have a whole lot of 'splaining (sic) to do."

And U.S. TV personality Star Jones is fuming the actress was not included, because she appeared in movies including The Cannonball Run and The Apostle and was even nominated for a Golden Globe for 1987 film Extremities.


Jones writes on her Twitter page, "FYI (for your information)... Farrah had a very diverse career... that included Broadway, TV & Film. She even received a Golden Globe nom (sic)."

But Oscar bosses have defended their decision. Bruce Davis, the executive director of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, says, "It is the single most troubling element of the Oscar show every year. Because more people die each year than can possibly be included in that segment. You are dropping people who the public knows. It's just not comfortable."



I don't buy that for one moment. How long was neil on stage?

Here's the latest from USA Today:


http://content.usatoday.com/communi...omission-was-not-an-oversight/1#uslPageReturn

Now that is really cold...Miss Fawcett was actually a long-standing member of the Academy, as were other memorialized Academy members Patrick Swayze, Natasha Richardson, Brittany Murphy, Karl Malden, David Carradine and Horton Foote. The entire list of members who passed away since February 2009 can be found here: http://www.oscars.org/academy/members/memoriam.html

Oddly enough, Bea Arthur and Michael Jackson were not members. I kind of wish that someone at AMPAS had had the guts to contact Miss Fawcett's loved ones to tell them that there just wasn't enough time to include all the members who passed away during the past year.

agnes!

That's just ridiculous. Did you see one of the people they mentioned was in PR. PR trumps Farrah. Seriously????

 

[TheZue]

Farrah should have been there, and I'm sure nobody would have been upset if they had squeezed Bea in. They could have just shortened some of the clips of the others and put them in, or cued the music when the crazy lady ran on stage and started monologuing. Having an arbitrary number is sort of dumb, some years more people die than other years.

 

[olena]

well Farah was in Dr. T and the Women or whatever it was called and it was a movie. Just seemed glaringly obvious.

And Cannonball Rum!

They had to make room for all those Public Relations types who died.

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Every year they seem to leave out people who I think deserved to be in the montage.
Last year it was Brad Renfro and Don Lafontaine (the voice of movie trailers). I think they should start having the public email in suggestions so they don't miss anyone. Farrah should have been included...not a fan but she was certainly a member of the Academy.

 

[Planogirl]

Farrah should have definitely been there. And they didn't have to cut a thing to include a brief picture of her. Not even Neil Patrick Harris. (I agree that he was bad but I liked both hosts!)

 

[NotUrsula]

I'd mention another actor who was left out ... Ricardo Montalban.

Some people might dismiss him for the Fantasy Island thing, but he had a prolific and wide-ranging career, and was a major character actor and even a leading man in the 1940's. He also founded Hollywood's primary support organization for Hispanic film professionals. He was in many ways a trailblazer and a powerhouse in his time, and he should have been recognized.

 

[agnes!]

I'd mention another actor who was left out ... Ricardo Montalban.

Some people might dismiss him for the Fantasy Island thing, but he had a prolific and wide-ranging career, and was a major character actor and even a leading man in the 1940's. He also founded Hollywood's primary support organization for Hispanic film professionals. He was in many ways a trailblazer and a powerhouse in his time, and he should have been recognized.

Ricardo Montalban died in January 2009 and was within the window for last year's Oscar "In Memoriam" tribute...I seem to remember that he was included in the 2009 broadcast, but maybe not?

agnes!

 

[MUFFYCAT]

Here's the latest from USA Today:


http://content.usatoday.com/communi...omission-was-not-an-oversight/1#uslPageReturn

Now that is really cold...Miss Fawcett was actually a long-standing member of the Academy, as were other memorialized Academy members Patrick Swayze, Natasha Richardson, Brittany Murphy, Karl Malden, David Carradine and Horton Foote. The entire list of members who passed away since February 2009 can be found here: http://www.oscars.org/academy/members/memoriam.html

Oddly enough, Bea Arthur and Michael Jackson were not members. I kind of wish that someone at AMPAS had had the guts to contact Miss Fawcett's loved ones to tell them that there just wasn't enough time to include all the members who passed away during the past year.

agnes!

.
She was a member of the Academy and won a Gold Globe while Brittany Murphy barely started her career and Michael Jackson was included???

That is awful that the academy won't even admit they may have screwed up!

 

[luvmy3]

I had no idea she had been a member for 40 years. So so sad that they couldn't find a 1/2 second to show her pic or mention her name.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

Did they really need such a long tribute to Johh Hughes?
I don't remember hearing alot about his death in the news?

My 15 DD asked why are they showing so many 1980's movies.

 

[Heidict]

.


That is awful that the academy won't even admit they may have screwed up!

What is even more pathetic is that it wasn't some oversight or some lackey screwing up. They have admitted and said that they purposefully left her out. Talk about an insult. What they heck did she do to them?

 

[Amy&Dan]

Her work in Extremeities and The Apostle alone should have earned her a spot in that montage. She was a member of the Academy a presenter and while much, maybe even the bulk of her work was television, she still had a huge impact with her work in both television and film. And I am not even talking about her short run on Charlie's Angels!

Bea Arthur was another one that I think should have been mentioned. I mean that montage is not that much of a time constraint on the total show, to add a couple of other actors is not a big deal. If they can find time to show Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin in one of those snuggley blankets, they can find time to honor Farrah and Bea. JMHO.

To me, she had a far more distinguished career in film than either Brittany Murphy (who died young but to be honest, I don't even know who she was) or Michael Jackson who was a singer more than anything. And should be honored above and beyond at the Grammy's.

To me, there must have been some underlying reason she was snubbed.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

.
She was a member of the Academy and won a Gold Globe while Brittany Murphy barely started her career and Michael Jackson was included???

That is awful that the academy won't even admit they may have screwed up!

Barely started is a bit of an understatement.

Her first movie was in 1995.
She had had a number of significant roles since then.

If I am not mistaken--she was also a member of the Academy. The weekend she died, she was screening the nominees in her home in order to cast her vote.

The montage isn't to favor only the "most important"--but it's getting pitiful that people suggested to be cast aside as "less important" and "omittable" when their careers were lenghty.

Sadly and appropriately--it isn't a popularity contest.