Los Angeles, Jan. 10, 2006 – Perhaps all the Brokeback Mountain buzz is having more effect than expected - average people chose Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson in Wedding Crashers as their favorite on-screen match up, beating out Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. The people made their opinions count by voting online in the 32nd annual People’s Choice Awards, which culminated in Tuesday’s bash at the Shrine Auditorium, broadcast live on CBS.

Organizers really, really wanted to get everyone inside and in their seats on time. At about 5:50 P.M. PT, as celebrities strolled down the red carpet, posing for photos and conducting interviews, staffers yelled for everyone to go inside. Then, to make their point, producers shut off all the lights, pitching the vast media assemblage into total darkness. Security guards formed a long line, and began herding the celebrities into the building.

The People’s Choice show marked Jessica Simpson’s first performance since splitting with Nick Lachey. Backstage in the press room, winners including Matthew McConaughey, Ellen DeGeneres, Green Day, Kelly Clarkson and Sandra Bullock goofed around, but Reese Witherspoon refused to enter the room.

Other stars popped in, and, when photographers asked Tyra Banks to pose looking over her shoulder, she said, “I don’t do over the shoulder any more.” Tyra then proceeded to walk backward toward the door so no one could see her back, and remarked to her publicist, “They want to shoot my butt.”