Oscars to Whoopi Goldberg: we're sorry

**DontMindMe** · February 27th, 2008, 02:04 AM

Whoopi Goldberg's omission from an Oscar montage – perceived by her and others to be a slight that left the View host in tears – was "an absolute oversight," the award show's producer tells PEOPLE.

"No harm was intended, and I feel very, very badly that she was left out," Gil Cates said Tuesday. "I'm going to call her and tell her that."

Although described as a montage of hosts, the piece shown at Sunday night's telecast on ABC was actually "supposed to be a montage of 80 exciting moments of the Academy Awards" culled from hundreds of hours of footage, says Cates. "Basically, that was not a montage about hosts."

He noted that former host Steve Martin also wasn't in the montage.

Still, Cates said, "It was an absolute oversight" to leave out Goldberg, an Oscar winner and nominee who had hosted telecasts that Cates himself produced.

"I asked her to be on the show. She did it twice," he said. "She is a formidable talent."
Oscars to Whoopi Goldberg: We're Sorry - Oscars 2008, Whoopi Goldberg, Red Carpet : People.com

**DoveFeatheredRaven** · February 27th, 2008, 04:49 AM

She knows this isn't a real problem doesn't she?

**Heavenseventeen** · February 27th, 2008, 05:54 AM

^Obviously not an 'end of the world' problem, but it must've hurt.

We love you Whoopi!!

**dolem** · February 27th, 2008, 11:10 AM

Why is this news? Who the hell cares if Whoopie was left out, and as they said, it wasn't suppose to be a montage about past hosts.

**msdeb** · February 27th, 2008, 12:43 PM

good for Gil Cates calling to apologize, because heaven forbid if the 'broads' on the View didnt get their way. it wasnt a tribute to the hosts, it was a montage of 80 Acadamy Awards shows. Whoopi had her piece in there.