Farrah Fawcett was noticeably absent from the In Memoriam tribute at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards last night, and many folks were curious to see how her longtime companion Ryan O'Neal would react to the glaring omission.

X17 photographers caught up with O'Neal in Malibu today, and he seemed quite upset and shocked about the snub. We asked if he could explain the omission, and Ryan told X17online exclusively:

    "I’m just as confused as everyone about it. They have to explain it, I can’t."


Leslie Unger, spokeswoman for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, tells E!, "I would not say that it was an oversight. No matter how carefully and how conscientiously people address who is included, there are people who just simply can't be."

But Ryan wasn't completely bitter about it. He told us he was writing a letter to the Academy to voice his (and many Farrah fans') dismay about her absence.

"Maybe next year they'll slip her in!" he told us.