This is the guy who writes the Oscars?

Remember when Jack Palance did a one-armed push-up at the Academy Awards? It was a funny moment and host Billy Crystal riffed on the 73-year-old's virility for the remainder of the broadcast. Those riffs were written in the wings where writer Bruce Vilanch, Billy Crystal and their team tossed jokes around frantically during the live spectacle -- a feat that earned them an Emmy.

Bruce Vilanch is a funny guy, but he isn't a household name. He may be best known for his 1990s stint on the TV game show "Hollywood Squares," where he was also head writer. Earlier in his career, Vilanch helped write one of the worst television events ever: "The Star Wars Holiday Special." The 1978 cartoon featured seemingly endless dialogue in Chewbacca’s native language and a sultry, hilarious virtual-reality fantasy sequence.