EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Leaving Farrah Fawcett Out Of Oscars "Inexcusable And Outrageous," Says Her Pal Alana Stewart
Posted on Mar 09, 2010 @ 06:39AM - 9 comments
The controversy over leaving Farrah Fawcett out of the Academy Awards “In Memoriam” section is continuing to grow.
RadarOnline.com spoke exclusively to Farrah’s close friend Alana Hamilton Stewart who was still steaming about the omission nearly a day later.
"I was shocked, appalled and I am angry." Stewart, who is the chairperson of The Farrah Fawcett Foundation, told RadarOnline.com.
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The 82nd Academy Awards took time to honor some show business mainstays who passed away in the previous year, including Patrick Swayze, Michael Jackson and Brittany Murphy.
Leslie Unger, a representative for the Academy, told RadarOnline.com that "unfortunately we don't include everyone" and insisted the decision to omit Farrah was not an oversight.
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"This is the lamest excuse I have ever heard," Stewart retorted. "I find it inexcusable and absolutely outrageous. Farrah was an American icon, a fabulous and respected actress... who did many acclaimed movies.
"I don't want to disparage anyone else whom the Academy did choose to honor, but there were people [in the segment] who I had never heard of
their names."
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Ryan O’Neal also lashed out at the Academy when interviewed by RadarOnline.com on Monday, calling Farrah’s omission “hurtful” and “terrible.” He said he planned to write a letter of protest.
Despite all of the ongoing controversy surrounding Farrah and the Academy Awards’ decision, , Stewart is sure about one thing: "The true spirit of
Farrah Fawcett will live on, no matter what."
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Farrah Fawcett Left Out Of In Memoriam Oscar Montage
Posted on Mar 07, 2010 @ 09:19PM - 28 comments
While fallen actors Patrick Swayze and Brittany Murphy (and performer Michael Jackson) were honored at the 82nd Academy Awards on Sunday, one name left off the list quickly caused waves: Farrah Fawcett.
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Fawcett, who died at 62 from cancer last June, was not part of the "In Memoriam" montage that played while James Taylor performed an acoustic version of My Life. Bea Arthur, who died in April at the age of 86, was also left off.
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The segment is traditionally dedicated to film stars. While Fawcett was in Dr. T and the Women and The Apostle, she was primarily known for her role in the iconic television series Charlie's Angels.
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Bruce Davis, the executive director of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, said days before the show that producing the segment is the toughest to do and his committee always has to make some tough cuts.
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“It is the single most troubling element of the Oscar show every year,” he said. “Because more people die each year than can possibly be included in that segment.” His office keeps a running list of those who have passed away since last year's segments which he and a small committee whittle down from more than 100 names to about 30. "You are dropping people who the public knows. It’s just not comfortable.”
