Traverse City Record-Eagle

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  • Barb Gauthier, of Traverse City, won an all-access pass to the State Theatre in the Record-Eagle Oscar Contest. Record-Eagle/Jodee Taylor

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March 2, 2012

And the Oscar (contest) goes to ...

Winner hasn't seen any of the nominated movies

BY JODEE TAYLOR jtaylor@record-eagle.com

TRAVERSE CITY — Close to 400 entered and two were perfect.

Barb Gauthier, 53, of Traverse City, chosen in a drawing from the two finalists, is the winner of this year's Record-Eagle Oscar contest. She answered all categories correctly despite not having seen a single nominated movie.

She wins an all-access pass to the State Theatre. She's only been there once.

"I went to see 'Gone With The Wind' with my daughter. She loves that movie," said Gauthier.

Gauthier used a combination of websites and nominees who had won other competitions to make her picks. Best Actress was the toughest category, she said. it was the toughest for all the entrants; many chose Viola Davis from "The Help" over eventual winner Meryl Streep ("Iron Lady").

Second-place winner Don Kessel, of Williamsburg, saw some of the movies but still relied heavily on the Internet to make his picks.

"I think I Googled 'Academy Award predictions,'" he said. He's seen "War Horse," "Moneyball" and "The Help," all of which he loved, and picked Streep because of her "body of work."

"Given her nominations and she's only won twice, I figured she was due," he said.

Kessel wins a personalized pass for two to each movie at Frankfort's Garden Theater.

• Emily Taphouse, of Traverse City, came in third and wins a 26-week subscription to the Traverse City Record-Eagle.

• Holly MacAulay, of Grawn, came in fourth and wins four passes, popcorn and pop at the Bay Theatre in Suttons Bay.

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