EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Ryan O'Neal Calls Oscar Omission of Farrah Fawcett "Hurtful"

RadarOnline, Monday, March 8, 2010, 11:07am (PST)

Ryan O'Neal spoke to RadarOnline.com exclusively regarding the omission of Farrah Fawcett from the "In Memoriam" segment during Sunday's 82nd Academy Awards broadcast, calling it "hurtful" and "terrible."

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“It was a terrible decision and very hurtful," O'Neal said. "Farrah was a member of the Academy for over 40 years and we could not believe she did not get a mention." Patrick Swayze, Michael Jackson and Brittany Murphy were included in the segment.

O'Neal also revealed that he and daughter Tatum O'Neal- who watched the ceremony together- intend to write a letter of protest.

“Both Tatum and I were very upset and we intend to write a letter to the Academy to try and get an explanation for this oversight on their behalf."

RadarOnline.com spoke to Lesle Unger, a rep for the Academy, shortly after the awards ended. She explained that "there are many angles that are looked at as to who to include and unfortunately we don't include everyone."

Bruce Davis, the executive director of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, said days before that the segment was the most difficult to produce since they had to whittle over a hundred names down to around thirty.

O'Neal scoffed at the notion that Fawcett would not make that final cut: “They gave mentions to sound guys and other writers and without being disrespectful, Farrah Fawcett was an icon and a household name.

“Quite frankly, we were stunned at the decision not to include her in the tribute and I feel that the Academy should be scolded for that, everyone was shocked.”

Famed critic Roger Ebert also criticized the decision saying, "No Farrah in the memorial. They have a whole lot of 'splaining (sic) to do."

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