Hollywood ? As the producer of the Academy Awards, Gilbert Cates concedes there is pressure to make the telecast topical, but insists it must remain true to its purpose: to honor the best films and performances of the year.

Although war with Iraq seems inevitable, Cates says he has no particular strategy to deal with it, other than to keep the March 23 show as entertaining as possible — and on schedule.

“The issue is really hard to answer intelligently,” Cates said. “Basically we’re going to do the show. If something happens, we’ll have to deal with it. There really is no way to prepare for it.”

Cates recalled that he was at the helm of the show after the first Persian Gulf War had broken out in 1991 and the Oscars were not affected. He also noted that when President Reagan was shot in 1981, the show was on a Monday night and it was postponed one day. “I think everyone stayed to do it,” Cates said.

Cates noted that the show is beamed to the armed forces overseas.

“I would hope the troops would get some solace” from the Oscar show, he said.