The MAC Awards, begun in 1986, are presented annually to honor achievements in cabaret

Cabaret

Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...

, comedy

Comedy

Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...

, and jazz

Jazz

Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...

. The award is organized by the non-profit organization Manhattan Association of Clubs and Cabarets (MAC), founded in 1983.

The Awards encompass more than two dozen categories, such as: vocalists and vocal groups, piano bar and jazz performers, comedy and musical performers, writers of songs and special material, directors, musical directors, recordings, and musical revues. In addition, through special awards, MAC salutes outstanding contributions to the field of live entertainment.

In 2008, singer Maureen McGovern

Maureen McGovern

Maureen Therese McGovern is an American singer and Broadway actress, well known for her premier renditions of the Oscar winning songs "The Morning After" from the 1972 film The Poseidon Adventure, and "We May Never Love Like This Again" from The Towering Inferno in 1974.-Early life:McGovern was...

 was among those honored.

Popular culture

On the television sitcom Will & Grace

Will & Grace

Will & Grace was an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 21, 1998 to May 18, 2006 for a total of eight seasons. Will & Grace remains the most successful television series with gay principal characters...

, Jack McFarland

Jack McFarland

John Philip "Jack" McFarland was a fictional character on the American television sitcom Will & Grace, played by Sean Hayes.-Character personality:...

thinks he is nominated for a MAC Award in a third season episode.