Predicting how Hollywood will spin this year’s Oscar ratings.
As if there aren't enough Oscar predictions out there, here are a couple more.
And we don't mean the kind that lay odds on "Cinderella Man's" Paul Giamatti holding off "
Syriana's"
George Clooney for best supporting actor.
Or whether Howard Berger and Tami Lane of "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" will swoop in to grab the makeup Oscar over Dave Elsey and Nikki Gooley of "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith."
No, there's a much bigger Academy Award cliffhanger shaping up.
Bigger than whether the star of a cable hit, "The Daily Show's" Jon Stewart, can pull off the hosting duties.
Even bigger than whether the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will honor a movie about men in love, a la "Brokeback Mountain."
This year's hottest question is whether anyone will watch an awards show honoring movies that so few people have seen. Since there are three possible scenarios — ratings up, ratings down, ratings flat — we'll predict the spin that various parties will offer up to explain the Nielsen aftermath.
Headline: "Oscar ratings surge a surprise."
Expected Spin:
—Viewers just want to see good movies honored, and don't care how they did at the box office. (Academy, studios)
—People like watching ABC, which is the only network that gets people to watch an award show honoring movies hardly anyone has seen. (parent Walt Disney Co., CEO Bob Iger)
—There was no serious competition in the time slot, so what do you expect? (CBS, NBC, Fox, that new CW network)
—People tune in to see best actress nominee and "Desperate Housewives" star Felicity Huffman. (ABC, her agent)
—Two words: Jon Stewart. (Comedy Central, his agent)
—Viewers love watching airhead commentators slobbering over stars on the red carpet before the show. (ABC, KABC and E!)
