Jessica Alba, right, and Cash Warren arrive at the Governor's Ball following the 78th Academy Awards Sunday in Los Angeles.

78th Academy Awards After Parties

There were no sore losers, in public anyway, after ''Crash'' picked up the best picture Oscar at the Academy Awards ceremony on Sunday night at the Kodak Theatre.

''I still would have been happy even if we'd lost,'' said Chris ''Ludacris'' Bridges, who campaigned tirelessly for ''Crash'' and was among the first to arrive at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Governors Ball on the fifth floor of the Hollywood & Highland complex, ''but probably not quite as happy as I am now. You gotta love it!''

''Crash'' cast member Terrence Howard certainly didn't seem to care that he missed the best actor award (''Hustle & Flow'') when he joined Matt Dillon at the ''Crash'' table. ''I've been getting so much attention during the past three months that I'll be on a high for a few more weeks,'' Howard said.

Naturally, everybody wanted a piece of triple-award nominee George Clooney, who arrived holding his best supporting actor Oscar (''Syriana'') in his left hand. Clooney, who missed getting best director and screenplay for ''Good Night, and Good Luck,'' gleefully danced his way into the ballroom and immediately hugged best director Ang Lee (''Brokeback Mountain''). ''I was a bit nervous before I went on stage,'' he admitted. ''But I'll be completely calm if I can ever make it to the bar and get a drink.''

Best picture/director nominee Steven Spielberg (''Munich'') came away empty-handed but greeted foreign film winner writer/director Gavin Hood (''Tsotsi'') at the ballroom entrance. ''My entire film career was inspired by your films,'' Hood told Spielberg before leaving to join the ''Tsotsi'' team at the Spark Woodfire Grill on Pico Boulevard. With compliments like that, who needs an Oscar?

Actress Reese Witherspoon, left, holds the Oscar she won for Best Actress for her work in "Walk the Line" as she chats with her "Walk the Line" co-star Joaquin Phoenix at the Governor's Ball.

Best actress Reese Witherspoon (''Walk the Line'') was being more practical than regal when she asked hubby Ryan Phillippe, another member of the ''Crash'' contingent, to carry the train of her gown into the ballroom. Witherspoon sat next to her mother, Betty, and took turns hoisting a bottle of champagne and her statuette, while her co-star Joaquin Phoenix sat next to his mother, Heart, and nursed a Coke.

Host Jon Stewart, who didn't have to worry about winning or losing, was happy to have made it through the night. ''I went out there to enjoy my self, and I did just that,'' Stewart said, as the director of ''March of the Penguins'' walked by with an Oscar in one hand and a stuffed penguin in the other.

Losing nominee Paul Giamatti (''Cinderella Man'') was sitting next to presenter Steve Carell and snapping his fingers and tapping his feet to the beat of the big-band orchestra.

Best actor winner Philip Seymour Hoffman (''Capote''), accompanied by his costume designer partner Mimi O'Donnell, chuckled when co-star Catherine Keener put her shoes on the table next to his Oscar.

Jennifer Love Hewitt arrives at the 14th Annual Elton John Academy Awards viewing party held at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, California.

And pregnant best supporting actress winner Rachel Weisz (''The Constant Gardener'') said her celebrating was going to be limited to ''a quick virgin Mary at the Vanity Fair party.''

The VF bash at Morton's was definitely the night's hot ticket. Witherspoon, Weisz, Hoffman and the entire ''Crash'' team joined Phoenix, Keener, lifetime achievement winner Robert Altman, Felicity Huffman, Heath Ledger, Michelle Williams, Keira Knightley, Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jamie Foxx, Dolly Parton, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Alba, Jennifer Aniston, Naomi Watts, Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban and Lindsay Lohan. Salman Rushdie, Mick Jagger and Madonna also had hard-to-get invites to the prestigious gig.

Double Oscar winner (director and screenplay) Paul Haggis (''Crash'') brought his daughters along and gave a hug to ''Brokeback'' producer James Schamus. Ledger cracked jokes with Phoenix, Hoffman chatted with William H. Macy, Aniston chitchatted with George Lucas, Huffman embraced Teri Hatcher, and Jagger sat with Patricia Clarkson.

Elton John's 14th annual AIDS Foundation Party in a tent at the nearby Pacific Design Center was packed to capacity, and a number of not-too-happy guests were left out in the cold. But Prince, Ludacris, Sharon Stone, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Pamela Anderson, Carmen Electra, Tori Spelling, Mary J. Blige, Nicole Richie, Nicollette Sheridan and Olympic gold-medal-winning snowboarder Shaun White (known as ''The Flying Tomato) made it in time for John Legend's performance and his duet with Sir Elton, who happily posed with Nick Park and Steve Box, the co-creators of animated feature winner ''Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.''

Nicky and Paris Hilton, who noticeably weren't invited to the Vanity Fair bash this year, broke away from Sir Elton's legendary revelry and took the escalator to the PDC's third floor to catch DJ AM at the Us Weekly/Rolling Stone party.

And when we last saw the winners from ''Crash,'' they were on the way to a private bash at Prince's place. Hope they drove safely.