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Actress/Cancer Fighter Farrah Fawcett Snubbed at Oscars

By Expert HERWriter Guide Blogger
 
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Actress and icon Farrah Fawcett, who showed the reality of cancer treatment to millions, was left out of the In Memoriam segment at the 2010 Academy Awards.The snub was deliberate.

Among the first to notice was film critic and cancer survivor Roger Ebert. "No Farrah in the memorial," he tweeted. "They have a lot of 'splaining to do."

Fawcett died at the age of 62 after a three-year struggle with anal cancer. Known as a sex symbol for most of her career, she also left a lasting legacy for cancer patients by allowing cameras to document her treatment for “Farrah’s Story.” The brutally transparent documentary drew 9 million viewers.

Actor Ryan O’Neal, father of Fawcett’s son, said the omission left him stunned and shocked. "It was a terrible decision and very hurtful," O'Neal told Radar Online. "Farrah was a member of the Academy for over 40 years and we could not believe she did not get a mention." O’Neal, a leukemia survivor, said he intended to ask the Academy for an explanation.

"I think this is what Farrah struggled with her entire career," said Craig Nevius, Fawcett's close friend and Farrah's Story producer. He told E!Online, "She struggled with respect and told me many times she felt she was put in a box. She loved television, and she was primarily a star on TV, but she was also a star on stage and film. You know, how you can discount Extremities (Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Drama), The Apostle (Independent Spirit nomination for Best Supporting Actress) and Dr. T and the Women, I don't know.”

Academy spokeswoman Leslie Unger said, "In any given year there will always be some people that other people think should have been included and that there's more justification for one person versus another." "It is impossible to include everybody." The executive director of the film academy said Fawcett wasn't included because she was better known as a TV star.

Fawcett died on June 25, 2009. Her death was overshadowed by media coverage of the death of Michael Jackson, known primarily for his work in the music industry. Jackson was included in the In Memoriam segment of the 2010 Oscars.

What do YOU think?
Should Farrah Fawcett have been recognized during the 2010 Oscars?

Resources:

Farah Fawcett Movies: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000396/

Biography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farrah_Fawcett
http://www.biography.com/articles/Farrah-Fawcett-9542358

Farah’s Cancer Battle Brings Attention to Rare Illness
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/09/anal.cancer.fawcett/index.html

Farah Fawcett’s Death Spotlights Rare Cancer Type - http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2009/06/25/farrah-fawcetts-death-spotlights-rare-cancer-type/tab/article/

FAQ: Anal Cancer http://www.webmd.com/cancer/news/20090406/faq-farrah-fawcett-fights-anal-cancer

9 million tune in for NBC special on Fawcett's cancer fight, 'Farrah's Story'
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2009/05/17/2009-05-17_9_million_view_farrahs_tale_of_cancer_fight.html#ixzz0hhrvTdcI

About the author: Pat Elliott is a journalist and blogger who has written about health issues for more than 20 years. She is also a cancer survivor who coaches people on how to manage their transition and take control of their new future.

Add a Comment18 Comments

EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Well said Susan Cody, and the anonymous poster above you. Such elegance!

Yes, why are we being asked to choose? Farrah should absolutely have been included and I am gutted for her family that she wasn't, but to suggest that Michael shouldn't be - or anyone else for that matter, is just vicious.

I, for one will remember Farrah, Bea, Eartha, Michael, and all those who pass this way. And I will not allow myself to be manipulated by hacks looking for a story - into forgetting one to remember another.

May they all rest in peace.

March 14, 2010 - 10:25am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

This asinine debate is yet another example of the media manufacturing a feud where there isn't one.

And the Academy, by not simply owning up to the fact that the 'In Memoriam' list missed key names, made things far worse.

Why are people buying this crap? We are being manipulated into choosing between our artists, we are being asked to barter between who inspired, moved, and gave us the most joy - and saddest of all, who deserves being remembered the most.

How dare we allow that?

Michael, Farrah, Bea and Eartha should all have been included. Each have appeared in films and each of them has passed. All sweated blood, sweat and dedicated tears for their art and all graced our screens for decades. In short, all are worthy of remembrance.

But yet, somehow the mistake of the Academy has been shifted from focusing on the idiots who ask us to believe that including Farrah, Bea and Eartha would have jeopardized the smooth running of the show - and are now telling us that Michael Jackson is the 'cause' of Farrah's exclusion.

Take note Obama, think you just found a future fall guy for Afghanistan.

March 13, 2010 - 2:41pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Please calm yourself SeeDandy1. You sound you like you should be up for an award for best histrionics my dear.

The simple truth is, all of these significant entertainers who passed, and who have graced our screens with their blood, sweat and dedicated tears for decades - should have been included.

So to watch people offering up the case for why one should be included more than the other, diminishes the whole point of giving honor in the first place.

Very sad.

March 13, 2010 - 6:10am
(reply to Anonymous)

To Anonymous on 3/13 @ 5:10 a.m. - I am calm. What a comment. If you understood; I was responding to the comment made by one here, stating that Farrah Fawcett was a 'TV Actress', who did a "few movies". I pointed out this by listing her credits so it would be made clear she was not just a "TV Actress", and only did a "few movies"; but was in 18 Motion Picture Films. "Award for Best Histronics"? So I listed her creditentials for clarification, so what? This lady is deserviing of being recognized for her variety of work in the entertainment fields, and one being an actress in movies; which was in response. Please don't get rude with others here. Let us stick with the issue, and not be insulting to others who comment here.

March 13, 2010 - 6:26pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Surely it's only a matter of time before the war in Afghanistan is laid at Michael's Jackson's door.

Pathetic.

March 13, 2010 - 6:01am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

It’s obvious that the media made this the big ‘controversy’ for this week even though it’s a non-story. I have the Memorial Tribute on my DVR and upon reviewing it after the controversy broke I looked at it more closely and the entire “In Memorium” tribute only lasted about 4 minutes and each person memorialized only got around 4.5 seconds on the air. Most of the people in the tribute were writers, directors, producers, people behind the scenes that few people except industry insiders have heard of. Then there were the actors that most people knew such as Patrick Swayze, David Carradine, Ron Silver, etc. I was not surprised that Michael Jackson was in, I expected that he would be because he was a global pop icon, he recently was in a movie “This Is It”, he had been in “The Wiz” and the media has stories about him daily. There is no question that he was a huge influence on our culture. “Thriller” was recently inducted into The Library of Congress” and it is the first short film of it’s kind (music video) ever to be inducted. Only about 20 films are inducted into the Library a year. So that is a huge honor for him. A week before the Academy Awards aired, his 3D film “Captain EO” re-opened at Disneyland and it got a very positive reception. Face it, people love his music and they love him. I read that he has sold around 30 million music cd’s since he passed. Millions of his DVD’s have also sold. There is no way they could have excluded this man. I feel bad for Farrah’s fans that the Academy excluded her, but it is in no way the fault of Michael Jackson. That they blamed him is highly unprofessional of them. They easily could have put her in their memorial tribute, now they are scapegoating Michael. It’s ridiculous. It’s also sad. I won’t bother watching next year. Hollywood makes me ill and so does the so called media.

March 13, 2010 - 12:32am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I really hate to state the obvious and I understand that I am in the minority on this site but Ms. Fawcett was not a movie actress --she was a TV show actress. Yes, she did a few movies but nothing of the caliber that would be associated with those names as Meryl and Sandra. If you ask me it is a ploy by Mr. O'Neill as he is only concerned with Farah if she is gainfully providing for him financially. Please move on to better articles that can provide uplifting, healthful and helpful advise instead of drifting into negative territory. Geez......

March 12, 2010 - 8:38am
(reply to Anonymous)

As for the statement, "Ms. Fawcett was not a movie actress -- she was a TV show actress", and the rest that she "was nothing of the caliber...associated with those names as Meryl and Sandra." This is one cruel and uneducated statement. It is also an opinion which one should not even make with the issue of the Memorium. There were people given tribute to; such as, directors, writers, and such, and these people were, by many watching, never heard of. They were honored for being part of, and contributing to with their work in the motion picture film industry; i.e., 'The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science'. I wonder what writer named in this memorial had the "caliber that associated with those names of Meryl and Sandra".

Let me help with Farrah's contributions with her work in the Theatrical, Movie Motion Pictures, alone:

She has acted in 18 'Movie Motion Picture Films'. Some of these 18 'Major Movie Films' she was in were released by: 20th Century Fox, Paramount, Columbia, Artisan Entertainment, Associated Film Dist., and United Artists. She has been nominated for: Six Golden Globe Awards - including a nomination for 'Best Performance by an Actress' in a 'Motion Picture Drama Movie'. She has been nominated four times for 'Emmy Awards'. She was nominated for her role in the motion picture, 'The Apostle', starring with Robert Duvall, who chose her to work with her on this movie, and received the nomination for 'Best Actress' by the 'American Spirit Award' Association; for which she received critical acclaim. She starred in the major motion picture film, 'Mr. T. and His Women', playing opposite Richard Gere. Now, this is just her credits for motion picture films, and again, 18 she has starred in. (Of course, we know she was a "T.V. Actress"; who was in a high grossing series of 'Charlies Angels', starred in 'Made for TV' films, T.V. Miniseries, but also in Broadway Theatrical Shows. She received critical acclaim in 1983 for her 'Off-Broadway' version of 'Extremities'; and, she also received high and admiring feedback from critics for her acting in the 'Made For T.V.' Movie, 'Extremities'. Eighteen Motion Picture Films - is that not enough to warrant she is a 'Movie Actress''? (Even though her Broadway acting and Television acting has nothing to do with the AMPAS, but all in all - she is a 'Well-Versed' actress in a variety of areas. How many actors can state they have worked in all three fields and given credit and nominated?

Regarding the comment about Ryan O'Neill. Do you really know this man to think he would be so 'greedy'? He is in mourning right now, lost a loved one; but, also the mother of one of his children? They had a son together, Redmond. How cruel of you to make such a comment about Ryan O'Neill.

Farrah also has had women and men adhere to her story of suffering with Cancer. She has been a focal point for people to give them insight and even hope with this disease. How dare anyone shun such a woman who has worked so hard in her life, and pass her off as just being a 'T.V. Actress'. A 'T.V. Actress is nothing to 'balk' about either. A life of an actor is not such fame and glory. Stop this insanity with your comments, and talk about "negative territory"... "Geez..."

March 13, 2010 - 3:15am

What we all need to do is stick to the issue here. Should Farrah Fawcett have been included in the 'Memoriam' at the Academy Awards? I believe, 'Yes'. She was a member of the academy, she has done, as an actress, movie films, and been nominated for her work in 'films'. I can understand people doing a comparison with M. Jackson; in that, for his work in 'movie films'; he has only one credit for being in a 'movie film', "The Wiz". The academy has a place, and that is the movie film industry. Farrah was an actress in films. She was a member of the Academy. She should have been in that 'Memorium'. One commented here that she "is not getting spastic over this omission". What a very silly comment! The comment by the Academy pertaining to time allowed is also a 'silly statement'. The producers can figure that out; otherwise, get another profession. It was a back paddling statement; along with the comment of she being more of a 'TV star'. She gave some great performances in film. I thought she gave her best in "The Burning Bed". Now, I believe this was a 'made for TV' film, but even with her other films; she warranted being remembered. Ryan O'Neill knew this, and even though he was not "spastic"; I believe he was speaking for Farrah, since he knew her best...

Empower Her - you have every right to post this, and ask for comments. Those who are upset about bringing this up for comment; go to another site...

March 11, 2010 - 8:51pm

I've always loved Farrah and I always will. Doesn't matter to me what anyone else says or doesn't say.

March 11, 2010 - 4:17pm
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