THE ACADEMY AWARDS SHOWS

THE ACADEMY AWARDS a/k/a OSCARS
1929-present, various

THE ACADEMY AWARDS SHOW
Cracked #134, August 1976
a: John Severin

MAD did Academy Awards spoofs too, some of which I've posted excerpts from, plus tons of articles that were Academy Awards For Teachers, For Lawyers, For Parents, etc. that were basically framing devices for a series of gags but featured no celebrities or movie clips. This was one that was a direct parody of the actual Oscar ceremony.

The show is always hosted by a famous actor, comedian, or TV personality. This is hosted by Katherine Hepburn. Peter Falk, Ed McMahon and Clint Eastwood can be seen in the background.

Bob Hope was often the host when the Academy Awards first became televised. Bruce was the name for the mechanical shark in Jaws. Burt Reynolds can be seen in the foreground of the fourth panel. Robert Redford is the next presenter.

That year, Faye Dunaway was in Day of the Locust, Karen Black was in Nashville, and Barbara Streisand in Funny Lady. The only thing I can see Natalie Wood was in that year was Peeper, which sounds nothing like The Tupperware Story. In the background are Telly Savalas, Tom Laughlin, Lee Majors, John Wayne, and Muhammad Ali

The nude body in the second panel is a reference to someone streaking a couple years earlier (see video clip below). Karl Malden is being dismissed by Michael Douglas, his co-star of The Streaks... I mean... The Streets of San Francisco.

The bartender in Jawz is Charlie Tuna.

This was the cover to the issue of MAD I've been posting excerpts from (see “Academy Awards” sidebar). Pictured are Michael Caine, Brooke Shields, Charles Grodin, Burt Lancaster, Faye Dunaway, Sylvester Stallone. Julie Andrews, Paul Newman, Gary Coleman, Mel Brooks, and Robert Blake.

I posted Bananas Movie Awards already last month but took it down and am putting it here because it seems more appropriate.

BANANAS MOVIE AWARDS
Bananas #69, c. 1983
w: Jovial Bob Stine
a: Sam Viviano

Hey, Lighten Up was a recurring feature in Bananas similar to Shut-Ups in Cracked, where a person would mention their problem and the guy here would interrupt and mention the brighter side of it.

John Travolta starred in Stayin' Alive that year, a sequel to Saturday Night Fever, both of which were parodied by in many places and will be posted here eventually.

Jennifer Beals, in Flashdance, had a double do all her dancing. The others in the audience are characters by John Holmstrom, Alyse Newman, Bruce Day, Bob Taylor, and Howard Cruse from the Comix section of the magazine. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) were [spoiler!] revealed to be siblings in Return of the Jedi.

Eddie Murphy was known for being profane and had been in Trading Places that year.