We won't omit political comments, Oscar chiefs promise
The producer and director of the Oscar telecast says ABC’s five-second delay will be used to shield viewers from swearing or nudity – but not to censor political statements.
The safeguard measure for the Academy Awards is the latest fallout from the uproar over Janet Jackson’s breast-baring Super Bowl performance, which has provoked an investigation by the US Federal Communications Commission.
“At the nominees luncheon, I spoke with the nominees and just said that, when they come up, they’re all under this microscope, unfortunately, because of these events a couple weeks ago,” Oscar telecast producer Joe Roth said.
Asked if the delay could be used to block political statements – like documentary filmmaker Michael Moore’s scathing criticism last year of President George Bush, which drew both cheers and boos from the theatre audience – Roth responded: “No, it applies to the use of profanity.”
The producer, head of Revolution Studios, said he wanted to encourage a sense of freedom and spontaneity – as long as winners were interesting and generally wholesome, he would not seek to interrupt their speeches.
ABC always maintains a watch over its live events, says Oscar telecast director Louis Horvitz, who has worked on the show eight times.
“ABC standards-and-practices has always gone out on the red carpet and looked at the gowns the women are wearing and I’m sure if a guy’s coming in with a jock strap they might say something, like: ‘When you photograph him on his entrance would you do a waist-up shot’,” Horvitz joked.
But it’s happened before.
In 1974, David Niven’s Oscar introduction of Elizabeth Taylor was suddenly interrupted as a naked trespasser flashing a peace sign raced past him on stage.
Niven famously quipped to the audience: “Just think, the only laugh that man will probably ever get is for stripping and showing off his shortcomings.”
More innocently, sometimes an actress shows up in a dress that becomes see-through in the bright stage lights – which is what happened to an embarrassed Meryl Streep at the recent Golden Globe Awards.
Horvitz says he can deal with that through tighter close-ups or adjusted lighting without cutting or blocking the image.
The Academy Awards will be broadcast from Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre on February 29. Billy Crystal is to host the event.
