Roger Ebert Speaks

Says this year's Oscars are easy to predict

Roger Ebert spoke Tuesday morning on the Oprah Winfrey show.

This wouldn't be altogether remarkable if it weren't for the fact that he lost his ability to speak after undergoing surgery for cancer.

Technically he's still unable to speak, but there he was making Oscar predictions on daytime television.

It's all thanks to computer programmers at a Scottish company captured the sound of Ebert's voice from DVD movie commentary tracks and spun it into a program that allows him to use a text-to-speech program that really sounds like him.

The film critic can now type what he wants to say and listeners hear his voice. On the talk show airing Tuesday, Ebert says his voice needs improvement but at least it sounds like him.

Ebert's Oscar picks include Sandra Bullock for best actress, Jeff Bridges for best actor, "The Hurt Locker" for best movie and its director Kathryn Bigelow for best director.

Ebert says he can't remember a year when it seemed easier to predict the Oscars but admits "those may be famous last words."

His picks?

Best Picture: "The Hurt Locker."

Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow for "The Hurt Locker."

Best Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique for "Precious."

Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz for "Inglourious Basterds."

Best Actress: Sandra Bullock for "The Blind Side."

Best Actor: Jeff Bridges for "Crazy Heart."

Ebert also said he won't have more surgery to "patch my face back together," going back to one of the off-the-shelf voices that sounded more like a computer than Ebert.

"That's right. No more surgery for me," Ebert said. "This is the way I look and my life is happy and productive. So why have any more surgery?"

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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