ROBIN WILLIAMS - WILLIAMS FORCED TO SCRAP OSCARS SONG

ROBIN WILLIAMS was forced to cut a lewd song about the SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS homosexual controversy from his OSCARS presentation speech on Sunday night (27FEB05) after show producers raised objections.

Williams, who walked onto the Oscars stage with tape over his mouth - to poke fun at the decision - had planned to perform a song lampooning conservative critic JAMES C DOBSON's criticism of the children's cartoon.

But when song co-writer MARC SHAIMAN received objections from ABC network bosses, asking him to rewrite almost half the song, he pulled it completely.

Shaiman says, "This is the most immature censorship that I've ever come across."

Williams did eventually develop an act questioning cartoon characters' sexuality, but it failed to have an impact on the Oscars audience.

Shaiman continues, "The show lost what would have been the best minute-and-a-half."