MikeLigalig.com

By Bob Tourtellotte

Reuters - After the curtain rises on Sunday's Oscars, producers hope a few surprise winners and heartfelt acceptance speeches will spice up the program in which silent movie "The Artist" is widely seen as the choice for best movie.

The world's top film honors are in jeopardy of losing their status as the second most-watched TV event in the United States behind professional football's Super Bowl if the show can't lure more than 40 million viewers, which could be difficult.

Producers have brought back popular host Billy Crystal to provide laughter, but the best solution for a lively TV awards program, sponsors at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences say, is a group of surprise winners or ones who give genuinely emotional or rousing acceptance speeches.