New York, Jan. 10, 2006 – “This is actually the most fun awards show, because it’s not televised, and there is booze flowing", said Paul Reiser, hosting the National Board of Review 2005 awards gala.

Half of Hollywood was swarming around Tavern on the Green, many of them having crossed the country since the previous day’s Critics' Choice Awards in L.A., where, George Clooney said, he sat next to Julia Roberts; “We drank”.

During the cocktail hour, Clooney mentioned that his Las Vegas hotel development is still on. “We break ground in April sometime. It’s going pretty well, actually. There was some report that we were gone or something, which was made up.”

Fifteen-year-old Q’Orianka Kilcher cleared up the mystery of the rag around her ankle, hidden under the dress she’d made herself – it’s a cast, the result of falling down stairs at a Williamsburg, VA screening of The New World.

Queen Latifah described how she’d met breakthrough honoree Terrence Howard. “I had the pleasure of meeting Terrence back in the mid ‘90s on the set of Living Single. I bummed a cigarette from him. We’ve been cool ever since.”

Best actress Felicity Huffman, on her success: “I keep waiting for Ashton Kutcher to jump out and yell, ‘You’ve been punk’d’”.

Ellen Barkin, presenting an award, said, “I’m a little tipsy.” Then she paid a rambling tribute to George Clooney before presenting the best documentary trophy to March of the Penguins. Barkin's eyes were slits, but her speech was clear and she didn’t stumble over even one word.

Accepting his best film award, George Clooney brought up Good Night and Good Luck co-writer Grant Heslov, and then made his own detour. “I don’t want to do any damage to the Alito nomination, but Grant and I were at a midnight screening of Brokeback Mountain last night. Judge Alito was there. He had been there since, like, 3 o’clock I think. Wearing chaps. A big cowboy hat, chaps and that funny bolo tie thing.”