Oscar 'concerned' about Pope
2005-02-27 16:30
Los Angeles - Oscar is concerned about Pope John Paul II.
Academy Awards producer Gil Cates said on Friday the 84-year-old pope's condition after surgery to ease another breathing crisis is being monitored.
Cates and the awards show's director, Louis J Horvitz, "have a lot of plans in place" in case the pope should die before Sunday night's Oscar telecast on ABC.
"If, God forbid, that would happen, obviously, we've discussed what we would do," Cates said on the red carpet outside the Kodak Theatre. "It's really not appropriate to talk about it now because we all hope it won't happen."
The pope, advised by attending physicians not to speak after surgery to insert a breathing tube and too delicate to appear at his hospital window, will not lead Sunday prayers for the first time in his 26-year papacy.
The Vatican has not said when John Paul will leave the hospital.
- AP