Where Everyone Went the Other Night

Oscar? Who’s Oscar?: A giant throng of the hip and famous converged on the Barker Hangar at Santa Monica Airport Saturday for the taping of the 1997 MTV Movie Awards, the alternative generation’s answer to the Oscars. The event, hosted by Mike Meyers and which will air June 12th, bestows a giant popcorn cup on musical and screen artists who receive the most votes in a variety of categories from the network’s video-addicted audience. After the ceremony, which also featured performances by Bush (Best Song winner for “Machinehead”), En Vogue and Jewel, the crowd moved to an adjacent tent that was decked out in a Disasterland theme.

*

Who Was There: Besides Meyers and the musical guests, there was, well, everyone. Among 1,200 or so guests were presenters Samuel L. Jackson, Mira Sorvino, Cameron Diaz, Toni Braxton, Salma Hayek, Alicia Silverstone, to name a few. Nominees and winners present included Jim Carrey (Winner Best Villain and Best Comedic Performance) and Will Smith (Best Kiss), Matthew McConaughey (Best Breakthrough Performance), Renee Zellweger (nominated Best Breakthrough Performance), Marky Mark Wahlberg (nominated, Best Villain), Wes Craven (winner, Best Movie), “Swingers” ’s Doug Liman (winner, Best New Filmmaker). Also present were familiar MTV faces Jenny McCarthy and Kennedy and many others.

*

Most Outrageous Outfit: There were many contenders in this sartorially extravagant crowd. Standing out among the Versaces and Gallianos was McCarthy’s vintage slip decorated with Mantrap drawings. But the winner clearly was the slinky black sleeveless dress worn by Wahlberg’s girlfriend that was cut so low in the back that, well, you didn’t have to be outside to see the moon.

*

Best Wookie Spoil-Sport: The cute, cuddly Chewbacca of Star Wars fame, curtly rebuffed a 10-year-old autograph seeker, leaving his flack to explain to the crestfallen girl that “Chewy doesn’t sign autographs.”

*

Best Quote: “I have nothing to teach Billy Crystal. He is the maestro,” said Meyers, after entertaining the audience with a variety of characters and song-and-dance numbers. “All I wanted to do was to wear very tight pants and dance pop and Celt kind of music. I think I kind of succeeded.”