The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!

Have you watched the Academy Awards and thought… ‘What were they thinking?’ Have you ever wondered, how is it that so many of the awards for Best Picture go to one movie when there’s a much better movie staring them in the face? Or, why have so many actors not won Oscars for their best roles? Or, why is it that so many movies that everyone loves and made a ton of money at the box office get no Oscar love while little-seen movies rake in the nominations and awards? If so, then this is the podcast for you. Co-hosted by legendary comedian, pop-culture icon and writer of over 25 Oscar telecasts, Mr. Bruce Vilanch, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at the nominating process, how and why some winners may have been chosen as well as tons of incredible, never-before-told, backstage stories about the world’s biggest stars on Hollywood’s biggest night. Joining Bruce is screenwriter, producer podcaster, and film nerd, Adam “Tex” Davis, writer of the very non-Oscar nominated movie Just Friends (starring Ryan Reynolds). Together, Bruce and “Tex” break down every Oscar ceremony, year-by-year, award-by-award, to reveal what the Academy got right, what it got wrong, the flubs, snubs and oversights. In the end, they’ll answer the question every movie-loving, Academy Awards watcher always asks – The Oscars: What Were They Thinking?

Did you know that two of the Top 100 American Films of All-Time came out the same year but weren’t even nominated for an Academy Award? Or that the film often cited as the ‘Greatest Film of All Time’ didn’t win the Oscar in its year? Or that Cuba Gooding Jr. has the same number of acting Oscars as Al Pacino?

Look, stuff happens. But if you’ve ever watched or read about the Academy Awards, you’ve probably been left scratching your head over which movies and performers won – and how many beloved films weren’t even considered.

Why do so many Best Picture winners become some of the least remembered movies? How is it that legendary directors like Stanley Kubrick never won an Oscar? And why do great actors miss out on their best performances, only to win later for less impressive work?

Sure, the Oscars aren’t sports – there’s no scoreboard to show the winners. But with so many Academy members voting, you’d think they’d get it right. Spoiler alert: They often don’t.

On The Oscars: What Were They Thinking?, Bruce Vilanch and Adam “Tex” Davis take a deep dive into Oscar history, looking back at the biggest mistakes, controversies, and snubs. From Shakespeare in Love beating Saving Private Ryan to Dances with Wolves winning over Goodfellas, we’ll examine where the Academy went wrong.

Along the way, you’ll hear incredible behind-the-scenes stories and never-before-told moments from Hollywood’s biggest night. We’re re-examining each Oscar ceremony, year-by-year, award-by-award, to see what the Academy got right, what they missed, and how we would “fix” the Oscars.

Whether you’re a dedicated movie buff or just a casual fan, this is the podcast for you. Join us for The Oscars: What Were They Thinking?, where we break down the flubs, snubs, and forgotten gems of Oscar history.