The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!
Hosted by Tex and Bruce and Mark · Atomic Entertainment
4.7from 189 ratings
- 74
- Episodes
- 31
- Transcribed
- 189
- Ratings
- Bi-weekly
- Cadence
- 2024
- First episode
About The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!
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 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.
- Publisher
- Atomic Entertainment
- Category
- comedy · tv & film
- Language
- en
- Explicit
- No
- First episode
- 28 Oct 2024
- Latest episode
- 19 Oct 2026
Latest episodes
31 of 74 episodes have a transcript.
19 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT
Bonus Episode - The Oscars vs Sci-Fi Movies
5 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT
1937 - The Great Oscar (and Plenty of Follies!)
21 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT
1975 - I Knew it was You, Oscar. You broke my heart!
Inside a recent episode
Bonus Episode - The Oscars vs Sci-Fi Movies
Published 19 Oct 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] And, you know, Aliens is both sci-fi and horror. Frankenstein is a horror film with sci-fi elements because Dr. Frankenstein is. Takes a dead body and reanimates it. Well, yeah, Frankenstein is very much science fiction. It's got a scientist. If you have a scientist doing an experiment, it feels like it should be a science fiction movie, right? I mean... You know, Dracula just exists. Wolfman gets bit. Like, there's no science to that. And Guillermo del Toro's version, he really shows like, oh, it's a doctor going through all these machinations to do an experiment. And I guess the same thing holds true with a creature. […]
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See plansWho has been a guest on The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
- Bruce Vilanch
- Tex Davis
- Adam "Tex" Davis
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
- Apple Podcasts (US)
- 4.7 / 5
- 127 ratings
- Spotify
- 4.8 / 5
- 62 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 33 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
- Quality
- 29
- Social presence
- 0
- YouTube
- 0
- Engagement
- 91
Contact The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!
- Guest appearances
- Does not typically book guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
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Questions about The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!
Who hosts The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!?
Tex and Bruce and Mark host the show. Published by Atomic Entertainment.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes bi-weekly, based on its RSS feed.
Does The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?! take guests?
The show does not typically feature guests, based on episode analyses.
Where can I read transcripts?
31 of 74 episodes have a transcript on Pod Engine. Full transcripts are available with a Pod Engine plan.
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