Apart from the big Oscar news, there were a lot of antics and a lot of buzz at the 86th Academy Awards.

Oscar love for Darlene Love

One of Oscar night’s best-received musical performances was wholly unexpected. Darlene Love belted out that “I sing because I’m happy” when appearing onstage with the winners of the best documentary feature, “20 Feet From Stardom.”

Love, best known for her work with producer Phil Spector in the 1960s, was one of the featured artists in the film about some of the music industry’s best backup singers.

She got a standing ovation. When it was time for U2 to perform their Oscar-nominated song, “Ordinary Love” from “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom,” Bono ended it with a shoutout: “Darlene Love!”

Taking the subway

Even Ed Begley Jr will admit, sometimes it’s not easy being green.

Certainly that’s true when it comes to getting to the Oscars.

The 64-year-old actor and environmentalist decided to forgo a chauffeured limo this year and take mass transit.

Begley, who serves on the board of governors that oversees the Oscars, tweeted a photo of himself and his daughter Hayden dressed up in front of a Metro station.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority always closes the subway station directly beneath the Dolby Theatre during the Oscars, so the actor and his daughter had to walk from the nearest open station to the big show. His daughter had to make the trek in heels.

Kissing and telling

Seconds after their film “12 Years a Slave” captured the award for best picture, producer Brad Pitt and director Steve McQueen were toasting the victory from a silver flask by the side of the Oscar stage.

Then Pitt shocked the director by grabbing his face and kissing him on the lips.

“I think I just made every man and some women jealous,” the flustered director said.

“Just so you know,” Pitt told him, “you were my first.”

Jared Leto, media darling

Best supporting actor winner Jared Leto was a hit backstage with reporters, especially after he shared his moment — and his award — with everyone.

“The first person to give their Oscar away for an orgy in the pressroom,” a smiling Leto said as he passed the trophy around to everyone who wanted to have a moment with it.

“Who’s your favorite Oscar winner tonight?” he asked and invited reporters to take selfies.

Tux on top — shorts below

Pharrell Williams came to the Oscars minus the tall leather hat that made such a splash at the Grammys and won him Twitter comparisons to the Arby’s logo.

This time he made his mark below the waist. Williams, nominated for the song “Happy” from “Despicable Me 2,” wore a formal black tux on top with formal black shorts, and no socks, on the bottom.

It allowed him to look normal in the black-tie crowd until nearby viewers caught a glimpse of his tattooed calves.

Asked how he was feeling, he paused a moment to consider the question.

“I’m ... happy!” he finally said.

Selfie central

Oscar host Ellen DeGeneres set Twitter ablaze — and even sparked problems for users — when the “selfie” photograph she took with Hollywood stars went viral.

DeGeneres corralled a crowd including Brad Pitt, Meryl Streep, Jennefer Lawrence, Julia Robers, Kevin Spacey, Lupita Nyong’o, Tatum Channing and Bradley Cooper who y and Jennifer Lawrence and posed for a photo that almost instantly circled the globe.

The resulting photo earned nearly a million retweets in minutes in 40 minutes.

For the first time in memory, the photographers walking this year’s red carpet were clearly outnumbered by Oscar nominees, presenters and other attendees stopping to snap photos of themselves with their phones.

So many selfie shooters crowded the carpet that Oscar organizers had to remind them to keep moving to avoid a traffic jam. Or, worse yet, having someone bump into them and ruin their photo.

Celebs cut the rug

By the halfway point of Pharrell Williams’ colorful performance of his Oscar-nominated song “Happy” from “Despicable Me 2,” all the celebs were on their feet dancing and clapping.

All except for one lone holdout: Leonardo DiCaprio.

Eventually, “The Wolf of Wall Street” came around, joining front-row mates Sandra Bullock, Amy Adams, Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper and Meryl Streep.

Immediately afterward, Pharrell and his backup dancers froze in position until a stage manager gave them the all clear. Several of the dancers let out a yelp of excitement once they realized it was indeed over.

Will she stumble again?

Ellen DeGeneres won’t let Jennifer Lawrence forget her stumbles.

During her opening monologue, the Oscar host recalled Lawrence tripping on her way to accept an Academy Award during last year’s ceremony — under the comic guise of pretending she was not going to bring it up.

Lawrence had a pained smile on her face. And she didn’t appear to appreciate DeGeneres bringing up the fact that she tripped again on her way onto the red carpet Sunday.

“If you win tonight, I think we should bring you the Oscar,” DeGeneres quipped.

Hanging with Mr Cooper

Bradley Cooper may not have won the supporting actor trophy, but he was the most social and smiley celeb as the big show began.

Within about 10 minutes of arriving, the “American Hustle” nominee smooched, in no particular order, Kristen Bell, Dax Shepard, Michael Fassbender and John Travolta before making his way to his seat.

Carpet crooning

Most stars either strut or speed walk down the red carpet, but the subjects of the Oscar-nominated documentary “20 Feet From Stardom” sang their way down.

The four backup singers featured in the film crooned in soulful a cappella, serenading television personalities and momentarily quieting the screaming fans.

The feature-length documentary chronicles the highs and lows of the backup singers who worked on some of the biggest songs of the past century but were often forgotten.

Getting psyched up

With just minutes to Oscar showtime, a crush of stars flooded into the theater and quickly went through their pre-show rituals.

Jared Leto put in eye drops. Michael Fassbender dipped into the green room for a quick smoke. Kurt Russell waited outside a backstage bathroom for date Goldie Hawn.

Steve Coogan came out of another restroom and walked right into Russell and also Sally Field. Lupita Nyong’o and Jennifer Lawrence quickly joined the group.

Lawrence and Field joked that they might consider wearing adult diapers under their dresses at future awards shows to beat the bathroom line.

Jamie Foxx greeted Kerry Washington with a hug and these words: “I heard you’re going to name the baby Jamie. Works for a boy or a girl!”

2 red carpets — A and B

Of course status-obsessed Hollywood would have an exclusive red carpet, and then an even more exclusive red carpet.

A red velvet rope separated the A-list Oscar red carpet from the B-list one, which was parallel but closer to the fan bleachers. The social rules were as Byzantine and strictly enforced as on any studio set. Or in any high school cafeteria.

• Taking cellphone pictures from the B-list red carpet of the megastars a few feet away: Allowed.

• Shaking hands across the velvet rope and telling a star how much you admire them: Allowed, but only as long as the tuxedoed security guards don’t see.

• Walking down the lower-ranking red carpet at a leisurely pace: Not allowed, as evidenced by the guards continually muttering, “Please keep moving.”

• An A-lister masquerading as a B-lister to get down the carpet quickly: Allowed (and taken advantage of by “Hunger Games” actor Stanley Tucci).

‘Of course I’m nervous’

Idina Menzel acknowledged some pre-performance jitters before singing “Let it Go,” the catchy song from Disney’s “Frozen” that has become a tween anthem. But she said that was only normal.

“If I wasn’t nervous, something would be a little off,” said the veteran Broadway songstress, who voices a main role in “Frozen.”

She said she had a plan for calming her nerves: Pretending she was singing the song to her young son at home.

The song has gone viral, with countless young girls making their own versions and posting them on YouTube.

“It’s about liberating your soul and accepting yourself for who you are,” Menzel said.

Chocolate cake, octopus

Starlets, perhaps not wanting to be tempted, averted their eyes as celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck rolled a sumptuous chocolate cake down the Oscar red carpet two hours before show time.

The five-layer cake, decorated with a tiny Hollywood sign, is part of the post-Oscar feast served at the annual Governor’s Ball after the Academy Awards.

Puck also brought a few other munchies — souffles, sushi, and a curling red octopus leg.

The cake was also ornamented with edible golden Oscar statuettes.

So, who won what?

There were big screens aplenty at the Elton John AIDS Foundation viewing party.

But Neil Patrick Harris, Oscar winner Tatum O’Neal, Sharon Osbourne and other attendees didn’t see much of anything when the screens all went blank.

The picture came back on — for a bit. Then there was just sound. Then there was a blank screen again.

The crowd let out a big moan when it happened for a third time.

(AP/AFP)

Show bits moments at the Oscars

Apart from the big Oscar news, there were a lot of antics and a lot of buzz at the 86th Academy Awards.

Oscar love for Darlene Love

One of Oscar night’s best-received musical performances was wholly unexpected. Darlene Love belted out that “I sing because I’m happy” when appearing onstage with the winners of the best documentary feature, “20 Feet From Stardom.”

Love, best known for her work with producer Phil Spector in the 1960s, was one of the featured artists in the film about some of the music industry’s best backup singers.

She got a standing ovation. When it was time for U2 to perform their Oscar-nominated song, “Ordinary Love” from “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom,” Bono ended it with a shoutout: “Darlene Love!”

Taking the subway

Even Ed Begley Jr will admit, sometimes it’s not easy being green.

Certainly that’s true when it comes to getting to the Oscars.

The 64-year-old actor and environmentalist decided to forgo a chauffeured limo this year and take mass transit.

Begley, who serves on the board of governors that oversees the Oscars, tweeted a photo of himself and his daughter Hayden dressed up in front of a Metro station.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority always closes the subway station directly beneath the Dolby Theatre during the Oscars, so the actor and his daughter had to walk from the nearest open station to the big show. His daughter had to make the trek in heels.

Kissing and telling

Seconds after their film “12 Years a Slave” captured the award for best picture, producer Brad Pitt and director Steve McQueen were toasting the victory from a silver flask by the side of the Oscar stage.

Then Pitt shocked the director by grabbing his face and kissing him on the lips.

“I think I just made every man and some women jealous,” the flustered director said.

“Just so you know,” Pitt told him, “you were my first.”

Jared Leto, media darling

Best supporting actor winner Jared Leto was a hit backstage with reporters, especially after he shared his moment — and his award — with everyone.

“The first person to give their Oscar away for an orgy in the pressroom,” a smiling Leto said as he passed the trophy around to everyone who wanted to have a moment with it.

“Who’s your favorite Oscar winner tonight?” he asked and invited reporters to take selfies.

Tux on top — shorts below

Pharrell Williams came to the Oscars minus the tall leather hat that made such a splash at the Grammys and won him Twitter comparisons to the Arby’s logo.

This time he made his mark below the waist. Williams, nominated for the song “Happy” from “Despicable Me 2,” wore a formal black tux on top with formal black shorts, and no socks, on the bottom.

It allowed him to look normal in the black-tie crowd until nearby viewers caught a glimpse of his tattooed calves.

Asked how he was feeling, he paused a moment to consider the question.

“I’m ... happy!” he finally said.

Selfie central

Oscar host Ellen DeGeneres set Twitter ablaze — and even sparked problems for users — when the “selfie” photograph she took with Hollywood stars went viral.

DeGeneres corralled a crowd including Brad Pitt, Meryl Streep, Jennefer Lawrence, Julia Robers, Kevin Spacey, Lupita Nyong’o, Tatum Channing and Bradley Cooper who y and Jennifer Lawrence and posed for a photo that almost instantly circled the globe.

The resulting photo earned nearly a million retweets in minutes in 40 minutes.

For the first time in memory, the photographers walking this year’s red carpet were clearly outnumbered by Oscar nominees, presenters and other attendees stopping to snap photos of themselves with their phones.

So many selfie shooters crowded the carpet that Oscar organizers had to remind them to keep moving to avoid a traffic jam. Or, worse yet, having someone bump into them and ruin their photo.

Celebs cut the rug

By the halfway point of Pharrell Williams’ colorful performance of his Oscar-nominated song “Happy” from “Despicable Me 2,” all the celebs were on their feet dancing and clapping.

All except for one lone holdout: Leonardo DiCaprio.

Eventually, “The Wolf of Wall Street” came around, joining front-row mates Sandra Bullock, Amy Adams, Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper and Meryl Streep.

Immediately afterward, Pharrell and his backup dancers froze in position until a stage manager gave them the all clear. Several of the dancers let out a yelp of excitement once they realized it was indeed over.

Will she stumble again?

Ellen DeGeneres won’t let Jennifer Lawrence forget her stumbles.

During her opening monologue, the Oscar host recalled Lawrence tripping on her way to accept an Academy Award during last year’s ceremony — under the comic guise of pretending she was not going to bring it up.

Lawrence had a pained smile on her face. And she didn’t appear to appreciate DeGeneres bringing up the fact that she tripped again on her way onto the red carpet Sunday.

“If you win tonight, I think we should bring you the Oscar,” DeGeneres quipped.

Hanging with Mr Cooper

Bradley Cooper may not have won the supporting actor trophy, but he was the most social and smiley celeb as the big show began.

Within about 10 minutes of arriving, the “American Hustle” nominee smooched, in no particular order, Kristen Bell, Dax Shepard, Michael Fassbender and John Travolta before making his way to his seat.

Carpet crooning

Most stars either strut or speed walk down the red carpet, but the subjects of the Oscar-nominated documentary “20 Feet From Stardom” sang their way down.

The four backup singers featured in the film crooned in soulful a cappella, serenading television personalities and momentarily quieting the screaming fans.

The feature-length documentary chronicles the highs and lows of the backup singers who worked on some of the biggest songs of the past century but were often forgotten.

Getting psyched up

With just minutes to Oscar showtime, a crush of stars flooded into the theater and quickly went through their pre-show rituals.

Jared Leto put in eye drops. Michael Fassbender dipped into the green room for a quick smoke. Kurt Russell waited outside a backstage bathroom for date Goldie Hawn.

Steve Coogan came out of another restroom and walked right into Russell and also Sally Field. Lupita Nyong’o and Jennifer Lawrence quickly joined the group.

Lawrence and Field joked that they might consider wearing adult diapers under their dresses at future awards shows to beat the bathroom line.

Jamie Foxx greeted Kerry Washington with a hug and these words: “I heard you’re going to name the baby Jamie. Works for a boy or a girl!”

2 red carpets — A and B

Of course status-obsessed Hollywood would have an exclusive red carpet, and then an even more exclusive red carpet.

A red velvet rope separated the A-list Oscar red carpet from the B-list one, which was parallel but closer to the fan bleachers. The social rules were as Byzantine and strictly enforced as on any studio set. Or in any high school cafeteria.

• Taking cellphone pictures from the B-list red carpet of the megastars a few feet away: Allowed.

• Shaking hands across the velvet rope and telling a star how much you admire them: Allowed, but only as long as the tuxedoed security guards don’t see.

• Walking down the lower-ranking red carpet at a leisurely pace: Not allowed, as evidenced by the guards continually muttering, “Please keep moving.”

• An A-lister masquerading as a B-lister to get down the carpet quickly: Allowed (and taken advantage of by “Hunger Games” actor Stanley Tucci).

‘Of course I’m nervous’

Idina Menzel acknowledged some pre-performance jitters before singing “Let it Go,” the catchy song from Disney’s “Frozen” that has become a tween anthem. But she said that was only normal.

“If I wasn’t nervous, something would be a little off,” said the veteran Broadway songstress, who voices a main role in “Frozen.”

She said she had a plan for calming her nerves: Pretending she was singing the song to her young son at home.

The song has gone viral, with countless young girls making their own versions and posting them on YouTube.

“It’s about liberating your soul and accepting yourself for who you are,” Menzel said.

Chocolate cake, octopus

Starlets, perhaps not wanting to be tempted, averted their eyes as celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck rolled a sumptuous chocolate cake down the Oscar red carpet two hours before show time.

The five-layer cake, decorated with a tiny Hollywood sign, is part of the post-Oscar feast served at the annual Governor’s Ball after the Academy Awards.

Puck also brought a few other munchies — souffles, sushi, and a curling red octopus leg.

The cake was also ornamented with edible golden Oscar statuettes.

So, who won what?

There were big screens aplenty at the Elton John AIDS Foundation viewing party.

But Neil Patrick Harris, Oscar winner Tatum O’Neal, Sharon Osbourne and other attendees didn’t see much of anything when the screens all went blank.

The picture came back on — for a bit. Then there was just sound. Then there was a blank screen again.

The crowd let out a big moan when it happened for a third time.