The late Joan Rivers was left out of the In Memoriam segment at the Oscars. Photo / AP
The late Joan Rivers was left out of the In Memoriam segment at the Oscars. Photo / AP
A representative for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has defended the producers' decision to omit Joan Rivers from the traditional In Memoriam segment at the Oscars, blaming time constraints for the snub.
Meryl Streep introduced the picture montage at Los Angeles' Dolby Theatre and Jennifer Hudson performed after celebrities like Robin Williams, Lauren Bacall, Bob Hoskins, Mike Nichols, Mickey Rooney and Maya Angelou were remembered at Hollywood's big night.
However, Rivers, who died in September, was notably absent from the tribute, prompting fans and celebrity friends alike to express their disappointment online.
The funnywoman's Fashion Police co-presenter Kelly Osbourne was among those surprised by the omission and she took to Twitter to complain, writing, "Am I missing something or was @Joan--Rivers really left out of the #Oscars memorials?".
An Oscars spokesperson has now responded to the uproar, claiming Rivers fell victim to time and space constraints for the live telecast, although she is featured in a tribute online.
The rep tells The Hollywood Reporter, "Joan Rivers is among the many worthy artists and filmmakers we were unfortunately unable to feature in the In Memoriam segment of this year's Oscar show. She is, however, included in our In Memoriam gallery on Oscar.com."
The sheer size of that gallery - encompassing some 120 VIPs who died in the past year - may do a better job of explaining the academy's decision-making than their statement. With only three or four minutes of TV time devoted to the memoriam segment, not everyone can make the cut.
The academy's former executive director Bruce Davis explained to the Washington Post in 2011 just how brutal the process can be.
"You make more people disappointed or angry than you make happy," he said. "You're leaving on the floor whole remarkable careers."
He explained at the time that his staff kept a year-round tally of notable deaths (more than 200 in 2010-11), and a committee of academy governors would whittle down the list for the tribute reel. While many viewers expect to see every familiar showbiz face that died in the past year, a lot of famous folks inevitably fail to make the cut. That's because the reel isn't just made for worldwide TV audiences but for the Hollywood industry types sitting inside that auditorium, who see the Oscars as their own annual community gathering. So for every A-lister who makes the montage, there are generally three or four folks you've never heard of - studio execs, cinematographers, writers, etc.
That's why the Academy tries to limit the list to celebrities who were truly focused on film, as opposed to other mediums. But that doesn't mean feelings don't get hurt.
Last year, the social-media outrage was over the absence of Cory Monteith - best known for TV's Glee - and James Avery of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. In 2013, it was the lack of attention for Donna Summer - whose Last Dance was Best Song in 1978. In 2010, the Academy issued a sort-of apology for not including Farrah Fawcett.
Melissa Rivers and Cooper Endicott pose in the press room with Joan Rivers' award for best spoken word album for Diary Of A Mad Diva at the 57th annual Grammy Awards. Photo / AP
The controversy is the latest awards season snub for Rivers' friends and family after she was also left out of a similar segment at the Grammy Awards earlier this month - despite posthumously winning her first Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album for her memoir, Diary of a Mad Diva, at the ceremony.
