Widen best song category as well

Re “, Oscar’s big plot twist: 10 best-pic nominees, not 5,” June 25

The Academy wants to attract more viewers by widening the best picture category to 10 films.

As a lifelong Oscar watcher, I think it’s a good idea, but perhaps the Academy should talk to its “original song” branch too?

This viewer is still reeling from last year’s piddling three-song nominee list fiasco. With the omission of Bruce Springsteen’s title track for “The Wrestler,” the little respect I had for the Academy went down the drain. Nevertheless, they found time for the schlock that was the top-hat-and-tails-clad Hugh Jackman musical tribute, but they claimed they couldn’t properly showcase the full performance of Peter Gabriel’s “Down to Earth” from “Wall-E”. Moves like this take away from their audience.

Do they not realize that performances from popular recording artists are one of the biggest attractions for television viewers?

Shenandoah Lynd

Lake Forest

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Sorry, ABC -- what you do to enhance the Oscar telecasts won’t add to the viewers.

Change must come from the Academy members who have voted based on their own personal agendas; promoting Al Gore’s global warming farce, for example, or antiwar and anti-Bush films that many Americans do not connect with.

I suggest they get back to voting for quality films instead of making statements.

Jo Anne Fogarty

Los Angeles

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What’s next? Pulitzers for books with the highest sales at Costco?

BJ Hegedus

Valley Village