I’m also looking forward to seeing The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Revolutionary Road, but this 11.7 video conversation between Entertainment Weekly‘s Dave Karger and Missy Schwartz about how they might fare in the Oscar race, and especially Schwartz’s comments about same, gave me some pause. The words that came to mind were “yuck,” “unctuous,” “toadyish” and “overly invested.”

What is it with Schwartz’s giddy delight in the likelihood of a huge Oscar telecast audience if Brangelina shows up as dual nominees? “If [Benjamin Button] meets everybody’s expectations and Brad gets a nomination,” she says, “that’ll be a huge ratings boon for the Academy, having Brangelina both there, assuming [Angelina Jolie] also gets nominated.”

And which expected Best Actress nominee is Schwartz rooting for the most? Doubt‘s Meryl Streep or Revolutionary Road and The Reader‘s Kate Winslet? Streep, she says, “deserves to win as many times as she is nominated…I mean, she is Meryl Streep.” She also says, “I just want Kate to win already…she’s been nominated five times and has not won yet…it’s just criminal!”

Does Schwartz feel no particular allegiance, rooting interest or emotional investment in Kirstin Scott Thomas winning for I’ve Loved You So Long? I sure do. Not because she’s better than anyone else (what do I know at this stage?), but because she’s truly great in the part. That aside, I don’t think any Oscar handicapper should care one way or the other about Oscar telecast ratings. What will be will be.