PREMIERE, June, 2001
PARTY GIRL Oh, What a Night!

By Anna David

Christine Taylor (a.k.a. Mrs. Ben Stiller) looked around the lavish post-Oscars Governors Ball and laughed. “It’s like a celeb-infested wedding,” she said.

And clearly the bride was Julia Roberts. Think about it: Hadn’t we seen Benjamin Bratt escort her up to the Oscar altar? Hadn’t we heard speeches aplenty? Add to that the nonstop popping of flashbulbs and the steady stream of congratulations, and you’ve gotta admit that Taylor had a point.

As for the star quotient, I just hope my insurance covers celebrity-induced whiplash. To my right, Ridley Scott chatted with a momentarily Catherine-less Michael Douglas; to my left, Laura Linney and Joan Allen, both in dresses the colors of Jolly Ranchers, hugged. Over in a corner, Mike Myers heaped praise on Cameron Crowe, and Steven Spielberg enthusiastically embraced Russell Crowe. (The chief DreamWorker also admitted to a few pre-Oscar jitters. “I wasn’t sure we were going to win,” he said of the Gladiator-Traffic race. “The last few weeks, it could have gone any way.”) Somewhere in the middle of all this, J.Lo breezed by in her now infamous sheer Chanel dress, causing the entire room to try not to look. Meanwhile, Steven Soderbergh sat calmly at his table – where he was actually eating his food! The director who triumphantly defeated himself at the Oscars confessed that he was too wrapped up in shooting Ocean’s Eleven to concentrate on the awards. As for that universally lauded acceptance speech about creativity, well, let’s just say that you recall it better than he does. “I remember hearing my name, and 15 minutes later, I was in the press room,” he said, still sounding somewhat dazed. “The rest is a blank.”

Tablemate and fellow winner Benicio del Toro also found his Academy Award win to be a surreal experience. “All I could think when they called my name was, ‘Oh, yeah, I gotta get up the stairs and talk,’” he admitted. (No meal for this guy – seconds later, he disappeared from view, swallowed up by a sea of well-wishers.)

Still, the night belonged to Julia “I love the world” Roberts, who bestowed warm smiles and thank-yous on each and every fan – even the ones who didn’t seem particularly up-to-date on her recent affairs. Thus, a waiter who suddenly shrieked, “I remember you from Mystic Pizza!” got one of her trademark grins.

Adding to the cute couple tally were newlyweds Kate Hudson and Chris Robinson. Though she was wearing that rather unflattering lampshadelike topper and Barbra Streisand’s hairstyle from 1976 – not to mention that she’d lost out to Marcia Gay Harden – the now famous gal seemed every bit a winner. “I didn’t expect anything,” she cooed graciously, beating a hasty exit out the side door. “Truly, this has been one of the best Sundays of my life.”

Revelers at the post-award parties seemed to agree with Hudson. Elton John hosted his annual event at the just-opened Moomba, drawing a crowed that included Kevin Spacey, Nicolas Cage, Sigourney Weaver, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, Ed Harris and Amy Madigan, and Puff Daddy (the Artist Henceforth known as P. Diddy). Before making her way in, Trudie Styler greeted Judi Dench as the flashbulbs began popping. “For God’s sake, Sting, get over here!” Styler implored her apparently more camera-shy mate.

At times, Vanity Fair‘s annual shindig at Mortons seemed like a sort of high end singles’ dance: Perpetual swining bachelor Ben Affleck chatted up a Billy Bob-less Angelina Jolie, Nicolas Cage kept Chloe Sevigny entertained, and a party-hopping P. Diddy chatted up the Jack Nicholson-free Lara Flynn Boyle. Strangest tablemates: Faye Dunaway and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Anthony Keidis. Strangest sight: Larry King barreling through a human security gate to bestow a kiss on Roberts. A solo Matt Damon (who was seen cordially talking to his ex, Winona Ryder), said that he had watched the telecast at home. “Ben [Affleck] wanted the gift bag, so he went to the awards,” he cracked.

Outside, the little bachelorette party Elizabeth Hurley and the ridiculously underdressed Pamela Anderson proved too much for one L.A. County sheriff. Just when I thought he’d write them up for inducing a riot, the awestruck officer took out a camcorder and began toping the twosome for posterity.
And it wouldn’t be a wedding without a camcorder, now, would it?