Opinion: Spoiler Alert: Sunday’s big Oscar winners listed right here right now

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One of the top newer political websites out there, another one that makes politics fun, is 538.com, run by the amazing Nate Silver.

Normally, it looks at the statistical side of politics which caused its reputation to soar recently by accurately predicting all of the Senate races up for grabs last Nov. 4.

So now Silver has gone out on a huge Hollywood limb to predict the winners for Sunday night’s Oscar ceremonies. He says it’s really rather easy. We’ll see if he still says that come Monday.

Knowing the winners now will save you from watching Sunday though, of course, you will anyway if only to make catty remarks about some of the dresses that few of us can afford and the stars don’t either they just wear them free as garment product placements as long as they promise to slip the designer’s name in somewhere along the red carpet interviews that are so inane but we all watch anyway since we’ve tuned into C-SPAN’s Senate coverage for practice. (WARNING: Stop reading now if you don’t want to know the biggies.)

Nate’s top picks:

Best Actor -- Mickey Rourke

Best Actress -- Kate Winslet

Best Supporting Actress -- Taraji Henson

Best Supporting Actor -- Heath Ledger

Best Director -- Danny Boyle, ‘Slumdog Millionaire’

Best Movie -- ‘Slumdog Millionaire’

Nate’s got a whole lot more to say on the reasoning behind these choices over here.

Now, you can print this out and slip it into your pocket. Just in case you can’t convince your partner to let you watch October game re-runs on the NFL Channel Sunday night, you can sit there all dismissive and looking bored. Then, just as those overpaid people in borrowed clothes reading their lines open the envelope in each category, check this list and simply say, ‘I think the winner is probably _______’

Boom! You’ll be right every time. And she’ll think you’ve been studying the LATimes.com Entertainment section to share the moment with her.

Assuming Nate’s right, you can just nod knowingly when she punches your shoulder or drops her jaw in affectionate amazement. If you’re wrong, you can say it doesn’t really matter anyway; it’s just the movies.

But based on his record, you’ll be right every time. Next week you can click on Nate’s website several times a day in online Oscar gratitude.

CAVEAT: She may also be steamed that you’re so smugly taking away the stupid surprise.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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