Nat Geo WILD Brings Animals to the Red Carpet for Pun-Crazed Oscars Counterprogramming

Celebrities won’t be the only ones strutting their stuff on Sunday.

During the 90th Academy Awards, wildlife and history channel Nat Geo WILD will be hosting its own version of the typical red carpet pre-show, featuring popular animal celebrities like Sloth Rogan, KangaRooney Mara, and Meryl Sheep.

Cleverly called “The Pawscars,” this pun-laden event is the world premiere of the channel’s “Nat Geo WILD From the Red Carpet” special. For an hour, hosts Ross Matthews and Sarina Morales will interview and critique the fashion choices of every animal that crawls, slithers, or flies across the red carpet.

“There are eighteen species of macaw but Aviary Duvernay belongs on a branch all her own,” says Matthews of the avian director’s bold feathery fashion ensemble in a promotional video.

Thankfully, the animals get the chance to bite back; voice-over actors fill provide equally pun-filled dialogue to the questions asked of these four-legged celebrities. Other guest appearances will include Bunnifer Lawrence, Cobra Winfrey, Jessica Chascrane, and Cat Damon (whose ongoing feud with host Jimmy Kibble is rumored to make them fight “like cats and dogs”).

If you’re looking for something to put you in a good mood while you steel yourself for the inevitable Harvey Weinstein and Best Picture jokes, “WILD From the Red Carpet” is the right pre-awards show for you.

So check out something that’s “guaranteed to be wild”: even though it’s the same night as that “other awards show.”

Tune in on Sunday, March 4 at 4 p.m. PST to check out this ferocious new event and watch the video below.