Rival producers are furious with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for its leniency toward “The Hurt Locker” co-producer Nicolas Chartier, who sent an e-mail blast last week to Oscar voters urging them to support his independent movie and “not a $500 million film” — an obvious slap at “Avatar.” The e-mail violated Academy rules against negative campaigning. Chartier apologized on Wednesday: “My naivete, ignorance of the rules and plain stupidity as a first-time nominee is not an excuse for this behavior, and I strongly regret it.” The Academy held an “emergency meeting” yesterday on how to discipline Chartier, sources said, but won’t announce his punishment until after the March 7 awards. “What bumbling bull[bleep] and ineptitude,” fumed one moviemaker. “They’re p – – – ys and they’re playing favorites.” The top prospects for Best Picture are “The Hurt Locker,” “Avatar” and “Inglourious Basterds.”
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Hurt feelings over Oscar diss
