Film Academy: Why We Snubbed Farrah Fawcett in Oscar Tribute
Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is explaining its controversial decision to omit the late Farrah Fawcett from its "In Memoriam" segment during Sunday's Oscar show.
Executive director Bruce Davis explained to the Associated Press Tuesday that Fawcett was better known for her "remarkable television work," and should thus be honored by the TV industry at the Emmy Awards.
See Us' touching tribute to stars we lost in 2009
Davis acknowledged that he understood the uproar, but explained "an unusual number of extremely distinguished screenwriters" died in 2009; the Academy struggled to honor them all within the short "In Memoriam" segment.
"In every category, you're going to miss some wonderful people," said Davis. Yet many pointed out the questionable inclusion of "actor" Michael Jackson, the pop music superstar who died on June 25, the same day as Fawcett.
See the stars on the red carpet at the 2010 Oscars
Jackson, David said, posthumously starred in the hit documentary This Is It in 2009.
"Think of all the blogging we would have gotten if we had left him out!" he said.
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Still, survivors of Fawcett, who died of cancer at the age of 62, are upset. Her former stepdaughter, Oscar winner Tatum O'Neal, told UsMagazine.com on Tuesday:
"On behalf of myself, my father Ryan O'Neal and my entire family, we are deeply saddened that a truly beautiful and talented actress Farrah Fawcett was not included in the memorial montage during the 82ND ACADEMY AWARDS. We are bereft with this exclusion of such an international icon who inspired so many for so many reasons. Beautiful, talented Farrah will never be forgotten by her family and amazing fans."
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290Millions of people are unemployed; hundreds of thousands have lost their homes. People around the world are starving and dying from war. And the family of Farrah Fawcett is "upset" because her name didn't appear briefly in a montage to actors. Rather than paying homage to overpaid actors, how paying homage to the hard-working people who work hard, sometimes at two and three jobs, to make a fraction of what these actors make.
we belive the academy is made up only of gossip and money. FARRAH has risen above that in life as well as beyond. no one could ever be in the same catagory as MS. FARRAH FAUCET.
we belive the academy is only made up of gossip and money. FARRAHA has risen above all that in life as well as after. no one can ever be in the same category as FARRAH FAUCETT.
we belive the academy is only made of money and gossip and FARRAH has risen above. no one could ever be in her catagory. RANDALL
we belive the academy is only made up of money and gossip. FARRAH has risen above, no one can ever be in HER CATAGORY. RANDALL
Radio station myTalk 107.1 is going to honor Farrah at the Mall of America on March 12th at 5:15pm (cst). It won't be the Oscar's but she won't be forgotten.
NO ONE should be left out who has passed on!! Everyone is equal!! Leave appropriate time for this or take the show longer. It's not rocket science.
I think it is disgusting that Farrah was left out. Ron Silver is deemed worthy and Farrah not, and most people don't even know who the hell Ron Silver is. What a crock of bs
The Academy, nay, Bruce Davis should take his head out of his butt and just flat out apologize for the obvious error in judgement. The mere inclusion of M.J. in the tribute, while ommitting Ms. Fawcett nullyfies his reasoning. Shame on you Mr. Davis!
Questionable decision to include Michael Jackson at the Oscar's? On the contrary, what's questionable is the refusal by all the major media outlets to print the valid story that Jennifer Batten recently called out Gene's Simmons comments about Michael Jackson -as completely false. Yet Gene Simmons's story was printed everywhere. Go figure.
And what Christopher, does Michael's colour have to do with the decision to include him at the Oscars? Yes, you do indeed have some major re-evaluating to do dude!
Questionable decision to include Michael Jackson? On the contrary, what's questionable is the decision by all the major media outlets not to run the story that Jennifer Batten completely called out Gene Simmons as a liar. Google Huffington Post Charles Thomson.
To Christopher, what a horrible lie to say about Michael Jackson. I do not believe that he committed suicide. As a matter of fact, none of us knows what really happened so it is not right for us to come up with our own conclusion unless we were there in the room with him. Michael loved and adored his children and I don't think a man who is planning a comeback tour would all of a sudden commit suicide. That sounds ridiculous.
Out all due respect, Farrah did star in some amazing movies such as Burning Bed which was ground breaking movie for women who suffer from physcial and mental abuse at the hands of their spouses, unfortunately something that is so common and still occurs today. Her portraying in the movie show women that you don't have to take this abuse, even if it is from your spouse. I think the Academy owes the family members of Farrah Fawcett a huge apology because if they can include Michael Jackson, then by golly they could have included Farrah.
God how long does it take to say someones name. Liers.
To the editors of UsMagazine: I will never buy your magazine again for allowing this unprofessional commenting to be put on your message boards. Your magazine is nothing more than tabloid trash.
So the Academy is basically saying a black man who more or less committed suicide is worth more than a mother who fought everyday to stay alive. Guess we will have all rethink what it is to be human won't we?
I still think it was wrong when I think of Micheal Jackson I think of a child molester yes he was talented but he was deeply disturbed.where's Farrah was loved for being Farrah
It was a horrible snub from the Academy Awards to not include her. While she was more known for her TV roles, she did big screen movies throughout her career. One I really like is the 1995 movie Man Of The House with Chevy Chase and Jonathan Taylor Thomas.
I don't agree with that decision.Farrah deserved to be remembered more than some unknown people who appeared in the screen and who we have no idea who they were.