First bit of scandal from the Oscars comes this morning as we learn The Academy have decided to revoke a Best Song nomination. The Academy voted on Tuesday to remove the song after the nominee broke the rules and emailed voters about submitting his song for the award.
Bruce Broughton, who had been nominated for his song 'Alone Yet Not Alone' from the film of the same name, is a former Academy governor and also is a current executive committee member. Broughton used his position to contact voters ahead of the nominations to make them aware of his submission, violating all the rules. Bet he's regretting that move. Back when the nominations were first announced, many people questioned the addition of the little known song and how it managed to get nominated amongst the songs from better known films.
The Academy's President Cheryl Boone Isaacs released a statement saying, 'No matter how well-intentioned the communication, using one's position as a former governor and current executive committee member to personally promote one's own Oscar submission creates the appearance of an unfair advantage.'
The Academy voted on Tuesday to pull the song from the nominations where it was up against 'Happy' from 'Despicable Me 2'; 'Let It Go' from 'Frozen'; 'The Moon Song' from 'Her'; and 'Ordinary Love' from 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.'
Broughton issued a statement following the announcement saying, 'I'm devastated, I indulged in the simplest, lamest, grass-roots campaign and it went against me when the song started getting attention. I got taken down by competition that had months of promotion and advertising behind them.'
