Who Got Left Out of Oscar’s “In Memoriam” Tribute?
Every year, Oscar's "In Memoriam" tribute to those who died is notable as much for who wasn't included as for who was. Oscar producers have always claimed to do their best to include everyone, but invariable every year, notable actors, directors and producers are left out and this year was no different. So, who was snubbed from the 2014 Oscar "In Memoriam" tribute?
This year's tribute was noticeably lacking stars like Cory Monteith, Dennis Farina, Jonathan Winters and James Avery plus other creative types like Tom Clancy and recently deceased Sarah Jones were left off the list.
While most would argue that many of these stars were primarily known for their TV work (and were memorialized at the Emmys), fans took to Twitter in an outrage. Perhaps sensing the eventual controversy, after Bette Midler's performance of "The Wind Beneath My Wings," a brief graphic displayed on screen with Jones' image, directing viewers to the Oscar web site and an "extended" tribute (which was really just a click-thru photo gallery).
As it was, the "In Memoriam" segment was almost 8 minutes long and in a telecast that is always looking for ways to trim the bloated runtime, producers have to make tough decisions to keep the show moving. Sadly, that usually means some late celebrities are going to get cut out of the "In Memoriam" tribute. It happened to Corey Haim and Farrah Fawcett years ago and it will probably keep happening for the next 10 years. At least now Oscar producers are showing an understanding and offering up at least some kind of tribute online.