Melissa Rivers thinks “it would have been nice” if the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had decided to include her mother, Joan Rivers, in Sunday’s Oscars In Memoriam tribute.
TheWrap, along with other viewers, noticed that the late comedian was not included in the segment, despite directing Billy Crystal in 1978 film “The Rabbit Test,” as well as several big screen roles. She was also a fixture at the Oscars with her pre-show coverage, largely of the show’s fashions.
Still, Melissa didn’t express any outrage in a statement released on Facebook.
“It would have been nice, especially considering the impact she had on the awards season, but Cooper and I have been overwhelmed with support and love over my mom’s passing and we choose to focus on that,” Melissa said.
The statement hit the web shortly after the Academy explained the “unfortunate” decision they faced when deciding which deceased artists would make the cut.
“Joan Rivers is among the many worthy artists and filmmakers we were unfortunately unable to feature in the In Memoriam segment of this year’s Oscar show,” the Academy said in a statement. “She is, however, included in our In Memoriam gallery on Oscar.com.”
Prior to the Academy’s explanation, show producer Craig Zadan tweeted, “Those tweeting about why we didn’t include Joan Rivers In Memoriam. The producers have no say or input. Names picked solely by Academy.”
Melissa gave her mother, a member of E!’s “Fashion Police” panel, her own Oscar tribute on Sunday during the network’s “Live From the Red Carpet” show.
“It’s hard to believe it was 20 years ago that my mother and I stood on this very red carpet for the first time,” Rivers said. “My mom asked questions that nobody else dared to ask.”