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Ever watched the Academy Awards and thought, What were they thinking? You’re not alone. Join legendary comedian and writer of over 25 Oscar telecasts, Bruce Vilanch, and screenwriter/film nerd Adam “Tex” Davis ( Just Friends ) as they dive into Oscar history, unpacking the flubs, snubs, and surprises from Hollywood’s biggest night. From behind-the-scenes stories of A-list stars to insider insights on how the nominations and winners are really chosen, Bruce and Tex break down each Oscar ceremony year by year to reveal what the Academy got right—and what they didn’t. If you’ve ever questioned why your favorite movie or actor got overlooked, this podcast is for you. 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
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Signup to Generate a PitchEver watched the Academy Awards and thought, What were they thinking? You’re not alone. Join legendary comedian and writer of over 25 Oscar telecasts, Bruce Vilanch, and screenwriter/film nerd Adam “Tex” Davis ( Just Friends ) as they dive into Oscar history, unpacking the flubs, snubs, and surprises from Hollywood’s biggest night.
The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?! is hosted by Atomic Entertainment. The show has published 73 episodes to date.
Recent episodes include "Bonus Episode - The Oscars vs Sci-Fi Movies" (19 October 2026, 65 minutes), "1975 - I Knew it was You, Oscar. You broke my heart!" (21 September 2026, 67 minutes), and "BONUS - Disorder in the Court!" (7 September 2026, 59 minutes).
The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?! publishes roughly every two weeks, with episodes averaging 70 minutes across 73 episodes.
Booking probability for The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?! is 48%, and the host is rated Open on guests. The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?! requires a Pod Score of 80 or higher. The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!'s contact route on record: verified email.
The strongest fits for The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?! are Film & Video. The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?! has a tv audience.
Atomic Entertainment hosts The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!, a tv podcast with 73 episodes published.
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The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!
Hey Oscar fans! One thing we’ve noticed in making this show is how few Science Fiction Films win Oscars. In fact, only ONE indisputable Sci-Fi film has ever won Best Picture! And it took over 42 years...
The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!
1975 Films Mentioned The Towering Inferno Blazing Saddles Young Frankenstein Earthquake Airport 1975 Chinatown The Godfather Part II Lenny Murder on the Orient Express Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore The...
The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!
Hey Oscar fans! Based on the past few episodes which featured some outstanding films set in courtrooms, we decided to take a closer look at The Oscars long-standing relationship with courtroom movies! From...
The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!
Hey Oscar fans! Today we’re looking back at the 1960 Oscars for the films of 1959! In the end, just like with the famous chariot race, Ben Hur demolished his opponents — but what made it a glorious victory was the sheer...
The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!
Hey Oscars WWTT? fans -- we're going way, way back to perhaps the first truly epic year of movies! And while it all took place over 80 years ago -- when you have this many timeless classics that are still relevant...
The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!
Hey Oscars WWTT? Fans — come take a fateful trip with us as we break down the highest-rated Oscars telecast in history! And because Bruce was there, he can regale you with some behind-the-scenes fun! Of course, it was a...
The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!
<p>It also makes us 2 Angry Men spending a Dog Day Afternoon grousing about an unfair Verdict. Yes, these are all ham-fisted references to Sidney Lumet films that were nominated for Best Picture and Best Director. And...
The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!
<p>Hello! We at Oscars WWTT? believe the beauty of this podcast comes from three things. 1. Looking back at the Oscars of the past to see which winners & nominees have stood the test of time, or not. 2. Trying to...
The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!
<p>Hey Oscar fans, Bruce and “Tex” are back with the 2009 Oscars for the films of 2008. This was an interesting year for many reasons: controversial winners; new formats, a singing & dancing Wolverine as host; and most...
The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!
<p>Hey Oscar fans. Bruce and "Tex" are on a slight hiatus, so we're doing an encore presentation of one of Oscar's most controversial years. A year that pit 'Love' VS 'War.'</p> <p>Of course we’re talking about the 1999...
The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!
<p>Welcome Oscar fans. Bruce is back to help break down the 1943 Oscars for the films of 1942. It’s another stacked year with 10 Outstanding Picture nominees (most of which are very deserving) and yet, there are still...
The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!
<p>1995, an objectively incredible year for movies, doesn’t get talked about enough…until now! Having done the research for our 1996 Oscars, “Tex” And Mark were amazed at just how many outstanding, Oscar-worthy films...
The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!
<p>Hey Oscar fans — for this episode, Bruce Vilanch and “Tex” Davis dive into the 1996 Oscars—the year Braveheart took the crown, beating out an oddly charming mix that includes Apollo 13 and Babe. But here’s the real...
The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!
<p>Due to unforeseen circumstances, we don't have a new episode for you this week -- so we decided to rerun an older one you may not have hear. This is a classic one that started the whole premise of the show. That's...
The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!
<p>Hey Oscar fans - “Tex” and Mark are back with another standout year of films noir. We kind of teased this episode during our 1953 Oscars episode — when four noirs (The Bad and the Beautiful, Sudden Fear, The Narrow...
The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!
<p>Hey Oscar fans — Bruce and “Tex” find themselves under the big top for an Oscar year that’s… well… not exactly the greatest show on Earth. While The Greatest Show on Earth somehow walks away with Best Picture, a...
The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!
<p>Hello Oscars Fans! Join "Tex" and Mark for an "entirely too soon to be having this conversation" conversation about the 2026 Oscars. As you probably know, it goes entirely against the premise of our show to discuss...
The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!
<p>Hey Oscar fans, welcome to a fun Bonus Episode that looks at a strange thing that happened following the 1974 Oscars (which we recently covered). 3 of the Best Picture Nominees (The Exorcist, American Graffiti & The...
The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!
<p>Hey Oscar fans, Bruce and “Tex” are back with another outstanding year for movies (you really can’t go wrong in the ’70s). And yet, they still found a way to include some head-scratchers while leaving some...
The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!
<p>Hey Oscar Fans -- after last episode's look at the 1997 Oscars for the films of 1996, "Tex" and Mark were compelled to take a deeper dive into the world of independent cinema that exploded onto screens that year...
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