The New York Times has encountered something rather seedy. while doing a report on the Academy awards they discovered there is a secret committee that decides which people get shown in the In Memoriam portion of the Academy Awards. In the past it was presumed someone was not included because their work focused more on television or music rather than movies or there was simply not enough time. Turns out though what you need is someone campaigning on your behalf. Running a For Your Consideration ad which seems so tacky. I don't understand why you can't cut 1 extra minute somewhere in the broadcast and in that 60 seconds you could show an additional 20 images which would cover everyone. There are usually only 4 or 5 complaints per year.
It's all about the money.
ReplyDeleteNot to sound too morbid, but this is probably my favorite part of the Oscars, and it makes me cry every year. I wish they would extend it to include more people! A lot of the behind-the-scenes people's deaths don't get picked up by the media, so it's nice to acknowledge them and their body of work at Oscar time!
ReplyDeleteI get all weepy, too, VIP. So, yeah, it's all about the money, which is sad as there are many who die who should be acknowledged.
ReplyDeleteBrad Renfro was virtually ignored when he died because it was so close to Heath Ledger, at least that's what I assumed. He was a good actor, troubled but good.
ReplyDelete@rcb Oh my gosh, I totally remember being like "WTF?" that year because I loved Brad Renfro! :(
DeleteMe too! I was upset to say the least! He was very talented!
Deleteeverything in Hollywood is politiking, not surprised at all
ReplyDeletelike when Corey Haim was ignored? I mean back in the day, he was good! His career `went to hell once the drugs started but if Hollywood killed him shouldn't they at least say good bye? (Uh.. that got my point across but was a little harsh. He was just one of the Corey's but STILL. He had a great early career!)
ReplyDeleteI would rather they cut down the time on acceptance speeches which 9 out of 10 are idiotic rants and useless diatribes. I love watching the memoriam because sometimes I missed their passing in the news or I forget that individual passed on. It's endearing and sad at the same time but it gives me a moment to say a little prayer for them collectively. It's sad that they are more worried about money and time than what's important...remembering the awesome work some of these people brought us. :(
ReplyDeleteI remember Farrah Fawcett wasn't included the year she died...didn't she win over critics for "The Burning Bed"?
ReplyDeletei get so mad when they're like "oh there wasn't enough time to include them" bull fucking shit!
ReplyDeleteAwful..
ReplyDelete@lovelylunacy - well said
ReplyDeleteyeah just cut one of those godawful musical numbers and take the time to list all the people who have died whether they worked in front of cameras or behind. If they worked in the industry, even if at the end their lives were in shambles, they deserved to be honored. The end.
ReplyDeleteSaying that the stupid jokes and musical numbers are more important is dishonorable.
A few years ago the number of people included was only 24. These montages are usually edited together about 4 weeks before the Oscar telecast. If somebody dies within that window it's usually a mad scramble to include them. If it's somebody very well known they'll edit them in but if it's somebody they consider minor they'll just say 'we'll include them next year' which was exactly what happened with Brad Renfro, however when the next year came, he was left out again.
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame! What just dying is not enough to be included in the In Memoriam?! They should be ashamed of themselves. SMH
ReplyDelete@VIP and rcb, I loved Brad Renfro too and I remember thinking what a shame it was that they left him out.
Most of the celebs that are well known should be included, regardless of when the show is produced or when they died, or how much money they had. C'mon people, Corey Haim?! Farrah Faucett?! Those are ICONIC people from our childhood. Granted my mom won't know who Corey Haim is but she sure as shit knows Farrah Faucett! My spelling sucks, but my point is, the age group from 30 - 80 is covered in just those two celeb deaths! You can't get much more iconic than that!
ReplyDeleteWhen Farrah Fawcett wasn't and Michael Jackson WAS....that was wrong.
ReplyDeleteMy HUGE pet peeve about these at any award show...
ReplyDeleteCan they please just tell everyone to hold all of their applause until the end?
Then give one giant collective applied for everyone?
It's not that difficult to do or announce at the commercial brepak to the audience.
I hats when there are massive swells of applause for some people because they are famous actors or whatever, then golf claps or utter silence for other behind the scenes people.
It's really disrespectful. Just in general as human beings, but even more so that half of those dickmeods wouldn't be rich, famous, or successful if not for those hardworking lesser.known people.
Rant over.
Farrah Fawcett was a major television star, not a movie star. The Burning Bed was a made-for-television movie. She did a few (terrible) films (Extremeties, which I saw in the theater and made me want to pour acid into my eyes, for starters) and that was not a reason for inclusion.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the Academy keeping standards on inclusion and not simply throwing in someone who was a major celebrity that happened to have some film releases in their bio. Farrah was beloved as an icon, a television bombshell and woman who overcame typecasting - but she did not deserve to be honored at the Academy Awards.
Yeah, when Farrah got passed over but Michael Jackson was not. That was weird. They died the same day.
ReplyDeleteHow the fuck is Michael Jackson worthy of an Academy Award?
ReplyDeleteDitto about the applauding during the Memoriam. It's really gross. They're all dead, you idiots, they can't hear you. So suppress your urge to fawn and be respectful.
ReplyDeleteFor all the people complaining about the applause: I guess you didn't watch the Oscars last year because it was announced before the show that there would be no applause until the end.
ReplyDeleteAnd Farrah was in several popular movies: Logan's Run, Saturn 3, and Cannonball Run.
And they can dump the opening monologue and the presenter jokes and honor more people in the In Memorium.
Farrah was terrific in "The Apostle" with Robert Duvall. Great movie.
Deletethey have a protocol for the clapping now. they ask peolple to do it in the end only. even in other award shows do that, or they cut straight to commercials after the clip with no clapping at all.
ReplyDeleteand i also was out of my mind when they didn't include brad renfro, i was watching and when it ended i remember thinking 'well, maybe he didn't die and the news was wrong'.
oh, and last year they included a publicist. again, A PUBLICIST, but they somehow manage to forget remarcable actors...
ReplyDeleteI was so angry that Dominick Dunne wasn't included the year he died, but now I understand, and I applaud Griffin Dunne for not playing this awful game.
ReplyDeleteI know what you guys are saying about the clapping. I call it the "Death Applause Meter," the last popularity contest on earth for these folks. Me, I'm at home clapping for every single person in the montage whether I'm familiar with them or not. In other years (not last year, since Esmeralda Spaulding was singing the whole time, no applause), I could usually discern a "winner" based on the amount of applause. It's a little weird.
ReplyDelete