It still provides a chuckle

The history of The Academy Awards is littered with strange and inexplicable happenings: Revealed shortcomings, spontaneous pushups, "The winner is Paul Newman," Sandahl Bergman's interpretive dance to "Eye Of The Tiger" (admittedly, one of the highlights of my life).

And of course ... Snow White rolling on the river.

But aside from the odd ceremony moments, and the fashion drama on the red carpet, it's the Oscar errors in judgment that we remember the most.

A few weeks ago we discussed the Oscar nomination Sins Of Omission, so let's now take a look at the performers who actually won, and how The Academy still blew it.

The 2005 nominees for Best Actor were:

Philip Seymour Hoffman in Capote

Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain

David Strathairn in Good Night and Good Luck

Terrence Howard in Hustle & Flow

Joaquin Phoenix in Walk The Line

And The Oscar Went To: Philip Seymour Hoffman

The Oscar Should Have Gone To: Heath Ledger

Runner-Up: Philip Seymour Hoffman

PSH was terrific as Truman Capote, and any other year certainly would have deserved his trophy, but Heath Ledger's Ennis Del Mar was more than an impersonation. He was flesh & blood, filled with raw emotion, but strong and stoic, and ready to implode from a lifetime of pain, joy ... and regret. It may not have won the Oscar, but it will be remembered forever.

The 2002 nominees for Best Actress were:

Nicole Kidman in The Hours

Diane Lane in Unfaithful

Renee Zellweger in Chicago

Julianne Moore in Far From Heaven

Salmay Hayek in Frida

And The Oscar Went To: Nicole Kidman

The Oscar Should Have Gone To: Julianne Moore

Runner-Up: Diane Lane

I'm a huge Nicole fan, but this was one on my least favorite Nic performances (check out the overlooked To Die For for one of her most inspired roles). I think that prosthetic nose was unintentionally hilarious (I kept praying someone would accidentally light it on fire, ala Lucy Ricardo), and I think her performance was actually the least effective of the splendid women in that film.

One of those actresses was Julianne Moore, who deserved the Oscar that year for her multi-layered turn in Far From Heaven. Her performance as 50's Connecticut housewife Cathy Whitaker worked as straight drama, and as a subtle satire of the overwrought melodramas of that era.

Runner up would be Diane Lane for her exuberant horniness.

The 1992 nominees for Best Supporting Actor were:

Gene Hackman in Unforgiven

Jack Nicholson in One Good Speech

Shouty McShoutsalot in Glengarry Glen Ross

Jaye Davidson in The Crying Game

David Paymer in Mr. Saturday Night

And The Oscar Went To: Gene Hackman

The Oscar Should Have Gone To: Jaye Davidson

Runner-Up: David Paymer

Gene Hackman won the Oscar for Unforgiven for a performance that I have completely forgotten. On the other hand, Jaye Davidson had the role of a lifetime, and twenty years later, I think we all still remember ... the reveal. It was a huge pop culture moment, and he did a fantastic job with a difficult role. It would be his greatest performance until he gave the world Sun God Ra.

Runner up would be David Paymer for surviving Billy Crystal's tired schtick.

The 1998 nominees for Best Actor were:

Roberto Benigni in Life Is Beautiful

Ian McKellen in Gods & Monsters

Edward Norton in American History X

Nick Nolte in Affliction

Tom Hanks in Saving Private Ryan

And The Oscar Went To: Roberto Benigni

The Oscar Should Have Gone To: Ian McKellen

Runner-Up: Edward Norton

One of the most infamous Oscar goofs, and with good reason. Roberto Benigni was unctous and cloying ... and that was just winning the award. Ian brought a quiet dignity to his portrayal of James Whale, and it made it all the more powerful.

Runner up would be Edward Norton for buffing up ... and learning valuable life stuff.

The 2001 nominees for Best Supporting Actor were:

Jim Broadbent in Iris

Jon Voight in Ali

Ben Kingsley in Sexy Beast

Ethan Hawke in Training Day

Ian McKellen in The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring

And The Oscar Went To: Jim Broadbent

The Oscar Should Have Gone To: Ian McKellen

Runner-Up: Jim Broadbent

Yep, Sir Ian was robbed twice. This wasn't as painful because Jim Broadbent was a worthy winner, too, but Ian was able to bring an iconic literary figure to life, and wasn't overshadowed by cute hobbits or special effects.

Runner up would be Broadbent for not being devoured by the screen presence of Dame Judi Dench.

The 1981 nominees for Best Actress were:

Katharine Hepburn in The Loons, the Loons!

Diane Keaton in Reds

Marsha Mason in Only When I Laugh

Susan Sarandon in Atlantic City

Meryl Streep in The French Lieutenant's Woman

And The Oscar Went To: Katharine Hepburn

The Oscar Should Have Gone To: Susan Sarandon

Runner-Up: Meryl Streep

Hepburn's performance in On Golden Pond plays more like a parody of a Hepburn performance (in fact, Catherine O'Hara would have done a much better Hepburn), but she received the sentimental vote.

Meanwhile, Susan Sarandon showed the world that when life gives you lemons ... and an open window ... soon you will no longer be just known as that girl from Rocky Horror.

Runner up would be Meryl for the honor of being banged by Jeremy Irons in two time periods.

The 1959 nominees for Best Actor were:

Charlton Heston in Ben Hur

James Stewart in Anatomy Of A Murder

Paul Muni in The Last Angry Man

Laurence Harvey in Room At The Top

Jack Lemmon in Some Like It Hot

And The Oscar Went To: Charlton Heston

The Oscar Should Have Gone To: Jack Lemmon

Runner-Up: Laurence Harvey

Putting aside all of the hilarious backstage drama, Heston delivered one of the all-time hammiest performances. On second thought, I'm sorry, but there's just no way you can ignore the hilarious backstage drama.

Jack Lemmon gave one of the great comedic performances in Some Like It Hot, and it still holds up over 50 years later.

Runner up would be Laurence for playing one of the hottest heels in film history.

The 1985 nominees for Best Actress were:

Geraldine Page in The Trip To Bountiful

Whoopi Goldberg in The Color Purple

Meryl Streep in Out Of Africa

Anne Bancroft in Agnes Of God

Jessica Lange in Sweet Dreams

And The Oscar Went To: Geraldine Page

The Oscar Should Have Gone To: Whoopi Goldberg

Runner-Up: Jessica Lange

Geraldine's win belongs on that long list of "career" Oscar wins, where a performer is rewarded for a long career. Other recipients include Henry Fonda, Helen Hayes, and George Burns. It doesn't matter if they deserve it ... they've earned it.

This was Whoopi's first film, and even though she made one of the greatest film debuts ever, she never stood a chance.

Runner up would be Jessica for overcoming horrible lip-synching to deliver the second greatest Patsy Cline impersonation

The 1990 nominees for Best Supporting Actress were:

Whoopi Goldberg in Ghost

Mary McDonnell in Dances With Wolves

Lorraine Bracco in Goodfellas

Annette Bening in The Grifters

Diane Ladd in Wild At Heart

And The Oscar Went To: Whoopi Goldberg

The Oscar Should Have Gone To: Annette Bening

Runner-Up: Diane Ladd

It's too bad Whoopi didn't win for her first nomination, or perhaps the Academy wouldn't have felt the need to make up for it with this prize. Whoopi was certainly entertaining in Ghost, but it was nothing we hadn't seen from her before. This performance was less "Whoopi Goldberg as Oda Mae Brown," than it was "Whoopi Goldberg is Whoopi Goldberg as Oda Mae Brown."

Annette, though, was dazzling as the murderous Myra in The Grifters. Her scene with Anjelica Huston was cattiness heaven.

Runner up would be Diane Ladd for going gloriously (and appropriately) over-the-top in Wild At Heart.

The 1975 nominees for Best Actress were:

Louise Fletcher in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

Carol Kane in Hester Street

Glenda Jackson in Hedda

Ann-Margret in Tommy

Isabelle Adjani in The Story of Adele H.

And The Oscar Went To: Louise Fletcher

The Oscar Should Have Gone To: Ann-Margret

Runner-Up: Isabelle Adjani

Louise Fletcher gave one of the all-time great evil performances as Nurse Ratchet. But I have to disqualify her since her role was most certainly a supporting performance, and therefore should not be included here. There have to be rules!

Ann-Margrock was a total knockout in Tommy. Fearless and electrifying, she went for broke in every scene, and proved to be a worthy muse for director Ken Russell. And she wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty.

Runner up would be Isabelle Adjani, who was only 19 when she tore up the screen in The Story of Adele H.

The 1974 nominees for Best Supporting Actress were:

Ingrid Bergman in Murder On The Orient Express

Diane Ladd in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore

Madeline Kahn in Blazing Saddles

Valentina Cortese in Day For Night

Talia Shire in The Godfather Part 2

And The Oscar Went To: Ingrid Bergman

The Oscar Should Have Gone To: Madeline Kahn

Runner-Up: Diane Ladd

Ingrid Bergman won her third Oscar for playing a meek missionary, in one of the least interesting performances of her magnificent career. This one is still a head-scratcher.

Especially considering that Madeline Kahn gave one of the greatest comedic performances of all time in Blazing Saddles.

Runner up would be Diane Ladd, who created the role of Flo ... but with a decidedly more salty tongue than TV's Flo.

The 1976 nominees for Best Supporting Actress were:

Beatrice Straight in Network

Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver

Piper Laurie in Carrie

Lee Grant in Voyage Of The Damned

Jane Alexander in All The President's Men

And The Oscar Went To: Beatrice Straight

The Oscar Should Have Gone To: Piper Laurie

Runner-Up: Jodie Foster

Seriously? Beatrice holds the record for the shortest screen time for an Academy Award ... at five minutes, forty seconds. It consisted primarily of one conversation.

Yet the Academy ignored one of the great "Mom" roles ever. I think someone needs to be dragged to the prayer closet!

Runner up would be Jodie Foster, who was always the most mature actress on screen, even when she was a kid.

The 1986 nominees for Best Actress were:

Marlee Matlin in Children Of A Lesser God

Sissy Spacek in Crimes Of The Heart

Sigourney Weaver in Aliens

Jane Fonda in The Morning After

Kathleen Turner in Peggy Sue Got Married

And The Oscar Went To: Marlee Matlin

The Oscar Should Have Gone To: Sigourney Weaver

Runner-Up: Kathleen Turner

Marlee is faboo, and she was terrific in Children, but Sigourney's Ripley is a certified pop culture icon, and the greatest action-movie performance ever.

Runner up would be Kathleen Turner, who was pitch-perfect as the time-traveling Peggy Sue.

So what are your favorite Academy boners? Still pissed about Sandra Bullock? Didn't think Hilary Swank deserved that second Oscar? Sound off!