War fever grips Oscar planners

Oscar organizers on Tuesday officially stuck to the “show must go on” script for Sunday’s Academy Awards ceremony but were glued to TV news broadcasts on the brink of a war that could spoil or delay Hollywood’s biggest annual party.

Officials at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences declined to discuss contingency plans for the March 23 show in the event of a U.S. Military attack against Iraq that could start as early as Wednesday night.

Oscar show producer Gil Cates said on Monday the awards show was scheduled to proceed as planned. But Cates conceded that everyone was “glued to the set” for President George W. Bush’s nationwide television address on Monday that gave President Saddam Hussein a 48-hour ultimatum to leave Iraq or face war.

Academy officials declined further comment on Tuesday but were reported to be considering a myriad of contingency plans. (Reuters)