The Seth MacFarlane Show!

The venue: My friend Kevin's apartment downstairs. The menu: Champagne, fresh guacamole and baked, unsalted chips (to make it seem more West Coast), fresh jumbo shrimp with cocktail sauce, cheese and salami slices, M&Ms . Yes, once again, last night was Oscar night in New York (a/k/a The Gay Man's Superbowl)!

Well, there was an awfully long red carpet time from 6:30, when we started watching on tv. We switched from Piers Morgan (who I have a thing for) on CNN to pygmy hosts, Kristin Chenoweth and Jess Cagle, on ABC.  I'm not quite 5'6" myself, so I say that with fondness. When the petite Chenoweth stood next to Adele (again looking oddly like an overstuffed chair, this time black with deco sparkles), I prayed Britain's big gal wouldn't topple over on our vivacious munchkin.

Then there was the Oscars' own official 1/2-hour red carpet presentation. Red carpets are like foreplay. But red carpet time is also the time we all become fashionistas as we ogle the gowns, always a fetishistic point of glamor at the Academy Awards.

I liked a lot of last night's frocks: Reese, Jennifer Lawrence (winner for Best Actress), Amy Adams all looked smashing. Jane Fonda was yummy in yellow. Sally Field not so much in red.  Jennifer Aniston arrived with the same look, different boyfriend.

Anne Hathaway was given short shrift by Piers on CNN for someone more interesting. Her gown & necklace? Ewwwww! She did, however, snag the Best Supporting Actress Award by night's end. Dustin Hoffman arrived with hair that appeared to be made up of laundry lint while Daniel Day-Lewis, who walked away with the Best Actor Oscar (presented by Meryl Streep in a tin-foil gown), deserved a Best Hair Style award as well.

Renee Zelweger was a mess in her dress, but nothing looks good on someone who squints more than a pirate! 

Once host Seth MacFarlane came onstage, inside the (Friends of) Dorothy Chandler Pavilion  to officially introduce the Academy Awards, I surrendered to his charms; tall, dark and clean-cut good looks; humor and talent. He was truly the star of the evening and a revelation. His dialogue with William Shatner as Cpt James T. Kirk may have run on a bit too long but I forgave him his indulgences as he proved to be a wonderful song and dance man as well as a comic. Who knew? He was Hollywood's secret weapon, and he even had L.A.'s Gay Men's Chorus backing him up!

I had sweet dreams after last night's Oscars. Piers, Seth,  Daniel Day-Lewis' hair and Channing Tatum!

But, in a night where musicals were a big focus, the divas truly ruled! Shirley Bassey -- introduced by Bond Girl Halle Berry -- was magnificent in a taut face and golden gown, as she belted out "Goldfinger" as if she were singing for her life. Adele sang "Skyfall" wonderfully, and was such a sweetie-pie, tearful while receiving the Best Original Song award. Jennifer Hudson was also sensational, singing "And I Am Telling You" from Dreamgirls in the musicals tribute portion of the show.

And then there was Barbra. In the I-See-Dead-People portion of the show (that egregiously left out Phyllis Diller) hosted by George Clooney, Babs sang "The Way We Were," honoring Marvin Hamlisch. She appeared to be wearing Adele's gown, which perhaps explains why it was falling from her shoulders as she tried to top Dame Bassey's performance. She did not quite succeed.