Oscar song disqualification

If he used an insider e-mailing list (from within the Academy) to promote the nomination, then the disqualification seems fair.

You don't see Julia Roberts grabbing the Actors Branch mailing list and personally contacting the membership to promote her work.

They have strict regulations for promotions, and what is acceptable, so he should have read the rules more carefully. It's an unfortunate mistake, and he should have known better, given his position within the Academy.

EDIT: I do think it's slightly unfair that they don't replace it with a fifth nomination, however.

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Updated On: 1/29/14 at 09:53 PM

What have you got against redheads, strummergirl?

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It's a shame they won't name a replacement nominee. Nominations only came out one week ago, there's still plenty of voting time.

Ah well. One less song on the telecast. Meron & Zadan & Ellen will love the extra time.

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Harvey wasn't a former president of an Academy Branch.

Ferocious campaigning is the norm, and for that reason, the Academy has a very specific laundry list of dos and don'ts.

Back when the screeners first started, the studios went a little nuts. They started sending out the tapes (yes, VHS) in fancy packaging ... then the packaging turned into tote bags and boxes and gift bags, and in one case, they were personally delivered to the doors of voters. This "packaging" was quickly ruled by the Academy to be gifts or "bribes" to the voters. They were asked to stop right away or be fined. (The fines ranged from monetary to disqualification to refusal of any access to the awards ceremony for the entire studio).

In another case, a studio "accidentally" sent out two copies of the same film a couple of weeks apart. The second screener was ruled to be a "gift," and the studio was reprimanded.

So the Academy has been very guarded as to how the voters are presented with "for your consideration" materials. No elaborate coffee table books with gorgeous photos from the movies anymore, unless you're in the Art Direction or Costumes Branch. (They used to send those to everyone, too.)

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I was giving Broughton the benefit of the doubt that he got the nomination legitimately even if it came out of left field (okay, REALLY far out of left field).

Turns out he didn't ... and you were right.

Bastard.

(Him not you!)

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Yes, it should have been disqualified. That Variety headline showcases everything that is wrong with journalism today. How is the fact that the song was sung by a paraplegic relevant enough to the story to merit inclusion in the headline? It's only a breath away from, "Oscars DEVASTATE paraplegic!!!"

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It does. And it did.

The minimum requirement is to play in at least one of the (recognized) Los Angeles movie theatres for at least one full week, beginning no later than the final calendar day of the year (December 31, 2013, in this case).

It met the minimum requirement to qualify.

And sending out CDs of the song (or score) to the music branch with a "for your consideration" letter is not a breach of conduct for promotions. But personally emailing the voters from an insider mailing list you obtained because you work for the Academy and asking them to please listen to it is out of bounds.

EDIT: And artscallion, I totally agree! What the hell does the media bringing up the paraplegic have to do with anything other than to stir the pot? It has nothing to do with the rules or the disqualification or the breach of conduct. It's just there as a distraction and to elicit sympathy or outrage. And it's so clumsy!

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Updated On: 1/30/14 at 10:19 AM

You don't have to be evangelical or Christian to get an underhanded Oscar nomination.

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