Academy apologizes for Farrah memoriam omission

Despite the fact that it was a calculated decision, executive director of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Bruce Davis is apologizing for any pain or hurt feelings Farrah Fawcett's omission from the "In Memoriam" segment may have caused.

Davis explained in an AP interview that the decision to exclude Fawcett and Gene Barry, another actor who was omitted from the sequence, was part of a long and difficult process, but the committee ultimately decided the two were better known for their "remarkable television work," and would be more appropriately honored at the Emmy Awards than at the Oscars.

Davis, who has been involved in the "In Memoriam" montage since 1993, said, "an unusual number of extremely distinguished screenwriters" also passed away this year, and it was a challenge to include many of them in the sequence as well. As a result, several writers and actor Bea Arthur, known for her television role on Golden Girls, were sadly omitted.

However, the director did apologize to the actors' and writers' loved ones, saying,"There's nothing you can say to people, particularly to family members, within a day or two of the show that helps at all. They tend to be surprised and hurt, and we understand that and we're sorry for it."

When asked why Michael Jackson was included in the montage despite being primarily know for his musical work, Davis explained that entertainer's role in the popular film This Is It last year played a role in that decision.