Around this time of year we start hearing the same nonsense from Oscar hopefuls as you're used to hearing from professional athletes. But instead of hearing lines like "We just gave 100%" or "We take it one game at a time", we get treated to things like "Oh, I don't really thing about it (the Oscars)", or "If I get recognized by my peers that would be nice, but it's not why I do what I do". Yeah yeah yeah... BULLSH*#!

Don't be fooled. These actors/actresses salivate minute by minute once they realize the film they're working on will put them in contention for an Oscar nod. They dream about it, they obsess over it, they practice fake acceptance speeches in the mirror almost hourly and fantasize about walking down that red carpet and get asked about what they're wearing by Joan Rivers.

Even the fake modesty is just another part of playing "The Game". ABCNews ran a great little article on this topic, here's an excerpt of what they had to say:

"If my work is recognized in that way, great," said Claire Danes, who has caught Oscar buzz for the romantic drama "Shopgirl." "If not, that's fine. That's not why I do the work that I do. I just want people to have a chance to reflect on their own lives while watching my movies."

That's precisely the sort of rhetoric favored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, whose 5,800 actors, filmmakers and other industry professionals vote on the Oscars, whose nominations come out Jan. 31 with the awards following March 5. Academy management frowns on anything that smacks of campaigning.

The best strategy for stars and directors is to keep visible enough through interviews and public appearances, but never look as though they're glad-handing for an Oscar. Too much exposure can backfire. During the 1999 Oscar race, best-actress front-runner Annette Bening of "American Beauty" looked as though she was running for office with endless appearances on talk shows and at Hollywood events. She lost to Hilary Swank for "Boys Don't Cry."