SOCIAL CLIMES / THE OSCARS : THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS BALL : Where Gloating Officially Begins

After sitting through 3 1/2 hours of Academy Awards, what winners and nominees need is some instant gratification.

That’s why hundreds of hungry, tired and occasionally jubilant men and women filed into an enormous tent on the Music Center Plaza for dinner, drinks, dancing and much backslapping from their peers at the Board of Governors Ball, the official gala of the evening. It’s here most of the stars stop first to celebrate or lick wounds before limo-ing off to other events around town.

“I’m doing good,” said beaming best-actress winner Jodie Foster, clutching her golden statuette in white satin-gloved hands. Was it better the second time around? “It’s different. The whole movie got it, so in some ways it’s more . . . I don’t know . . . I don’t think I’ve ever screamed as much. I felt sorry for Warren Beatty, who was in front of me.”

Mercedes Ruehl was still in shock from winning as best supporting actress. “I am genuinely excited and thrilled,” she said. “This is not an act.”

How did she plan to celebrate her win? “I have about 10 friends here who are the dearest people in my life, and sooner or later I’m going to kick off these high heels and sit down and open a bottle of champagne with them.”

But this isn’t really a party where you sit, particularly if you’ve won an award or are enough of a power player to hold court. The A-list was assigned to tables on a platform surrounding the Bill Lohr Orchestra, but most huddled together, shouting above the music and grabbing bites of dinner (grilled Norwegian salmon, breast of chicken and filet mignon).

Warren Beatty and wife Annette Bening caused the biggest human traffic jam as they and their friends clotted the main aisle.

First-time Oscar-goer Juliette Lewis, nominated for best supporting actress, said the show was “a little more entertaining than I expected. Billy Crystal’s very good. My manager asked me, ‘Was it fun?’ and I said, ‘Well, if I were going to go out I wouldn’t say, hey, how about we go to the Oscars?’ ”

Also making it to the ball were Geena Davis, Oscar show choreographer Debbie Allen, Barry Levinson, Spike Lee, Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, a somber-looking Oliver Stone, Robert Duvall, Lawrence Kasdan, Demi Moore, Michael Lerner, George Lucas, Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Demme.

Academy president Karl Malden said he held his breath for the first 10 minutes of the show, expecting alleged disruptions from members of the gay community. “But after that,” he said, “somehow I felt if it didn’t happen then, it wasn’t going to happen.”

And who were his favorites?

“I love them all,” he said.

Ah, Oscar diplomacy.

Nick Nolte’s personal choices?

“They’re all fine. It’s all fine work.”

Tom Cruise?

“We were rooting for everyone.”

At least there was some honesty; a security guard told his friend, “I think I’d pay $100 if I could sit down for two minutes.”

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