Why Is An Oscar An Oscar ?

I've held more than one of these puppies. Now, there is something amazing about them, and it is completely a social phenom. Other awards of this ilk (Including an Emmy, which I have also fondled) just DON'T have the panache... the allure... the elan... the... the.. (I'm fresh out of French-type phrases here).
It's heavy, and gold, and cool. As Hannibal Lechter, Psychiatrist and Carnivore said in the famed flick, "Silence of the Lambs" - " You covet what you see. " People covet it. I find it horrific that they can be bought at auction like an old lamp.


Typer

The link to the original Mailbag item is:
http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/moscar.html

I'm not intending to do this much in future, but I thought it would help get the trend started.