David Sheehan Predicts Leonardo DiCaprio as the Only 'Sure' Winner at Tonight's Oscars

Longtime CBS/NBC TV news reporter-critic David Sheehan, who is hosting a new internet Oscar special "AND THE WINNERS ARE..." says what he calls the "about time" syndrome makes Leonardo DiCaprio the only sure thing at tonight's Academy Awards.

"No matter what anyone thinks of his performance in 'The Revenant'," Sheehan says, "Leo is a sure thing for Best Actor merely because he has been nominated 5 times before without winning, so it's about time."

Sheehan points out that the "about time" syndrome has worked many times before, Paul Newman being the shining example when he won for "Color of Money" in 1987 after 10 nominations. Dustin Hoffman was nominated 4 times before winning in 1980 for "Kramer vs. Kramer". Likewise, it was "about time" for Julia Roberts, nominated four times, but not winning until 2001 for "Erin Brockovich". Sheehan points out that "the list goes on", but he's partial to Newman, Hoffman and Roberts because all three are part of his new show.

"AND THE WINNERS ARE ..." is a fast-paced 60-minute spectacular featuring 25 of Sheehan's movie star interviews of the most famous Oscar winners (and losers) from the past five decades, including screen icons Marlon Brando, Woody Allen, Tom Hanks, Leonardo DiCaprio, Sylvester Stallone, Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Robert Redford, Clint Eastwood, Dustin Hoffman, John Travolta, Jack Nicholson, Paul Newman, Robin Williams, Al Pacino, and ten more.

It's the largest number of stars in a one-hour program in the history of television, as Sheehan delves deep into his 44 year archival library to discover he had more stars actually venting their feelings about Oscar than he ever thought.

The outspoken thoughts and feelings of the stars, including personal revelations about the impact of fame on their humanity, offer a bristling kaleidoscope of attitudes about Oscar, ranging from outright hatred and disdain to loving the acclaim and even enjoying the race.

"AND THE WINNERS ARE ..." will be streaming worldwide February 27 thru March 31, 2016 (Sheehan's birthday) on YouTube, Facebook, Starz, JLTV, Bravo, A&E and three different popular social media platforms in Italy, France and Spain, with a worldwide audience estimated to be 100 million or more.

All proceeds from "AND THE WINNERS ARE ..." go to benefit the GOOD WORK of Sheehan's three favorite charities:Children of The Night in Van Nuys, California; St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee; and the Los Angeles Mission in Downtown L.A. and Hollywood.

The show is sponsored by Carnival Cruise Lines with its 10 world's leading cruise brands, the Disney Company with its new March 4 release "Zootopia", and VCI Home Entertainment with its newly minted DVD release of "Pippin", the Tony Award winning Broadway musical by Oscar winner Bob Fosse, who is one of only three directors in "AND THE WINNERS ARE ...", the other two being Eastwood and Italy's Federico Fellini.

"AND THE WINNERS ARE ..." is a production of Hollywood Close-Ups, Inc., written and produced by David Sheehan, with noted editor/producer Derek Bloom, additional editing by John Diamond and Tod Hillman, coordinating producer Susan Haymer, associate producers Jeffrey Jacobs and Michael Vincent, and executive producer Kellyann Chippendale. Ian Marshall of RetroVideo in Glendale, California manages "The Sheehan Collection" of archival interviews going back as far as 1970.

Source: David Sheehan

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