Oprah Goes MIA on Julia's Big Night

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Where in the world was Oprah Winfrey? The talk show queen was supposed to be on hand at last night's American Cinematheque tribute to Julia Roberts in Los Angeles, but she was a last minute no-show.

I'm told Winfrey had to cancel the day before, because she had to make an "emergency" trip to her all-girl’s school in Africa.

No matter, because Roberts had plenty of her A-list friends there to sing her praises at the Beverly Hilton Hotel soiree.

Ms. Roberts first. She wore a black formfitting gown that showcased her postpregnancy body and bosom.

"Is there a hungry baby in the house?" Roberts joked when she walked onstage to accept her award from Pelican Brief costar Denzel Washington. "Come on up!"

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A bit flustered, the Oscar winner explained, "It’s hard to think when my dress is so snug."

Calling the American Cinemateque’s do a "bat mitzvah of Julia Roberts," Tom Hanks, her costar in the upcoming Charlie Wilson’s War, joked that no matter how big a star you are, "you might as well be a waffle iron in a tree," because you’ll always be upstaged when standing next to Ms. Roberts.

Bruce Willis said he and Roberts have many things in common. "She turned down Sharon Stone’s role in Basic Instinct," said Willis, who played opposite Roberts in The Player and Ocean’s 12. "And I’ve had to turn down Sharon Stone several times."

Mr. Willis also cracked that Roberts prepared for her breakout role as a hooker in Pretty Woman by hanging out on Hollywood Boulevard. "That’s actually how we met," he said.

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George Clooney wasn't able to make it, but he sent a video tribute. Gushing over his Ocean's costar while sitting in a bathroom stall, Clooney suddenly found himself in a Sen. Larry Craig situation. Someone was in the next stall trying to tap shoes with the Hollywood hunk.

When Clooney jumped up and quickly opened the stall door next to him, he found the culprit to be Brad Pitt!

A wide-eyed Pitt joked, "I have a wide stance."

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The naughtiest words of the night came from none other than Natalie Portman!

At the start of shooting their flick Closer, Portman thought it would be funny to buy Roberts a "simple, elegant" necklace with a charm spelling out the word, um, "C--T" because Roberts is anything but that.

But Roberts one-upped her when the film wrapped, giving Portman a necklace as well but with the words "L'IL C--T."

Also paying tribute to Roberts onstage were Shirley MacLaine, Sally Field, Blair Underwood, Mike Nichols, Garry Marshall, Richard Gere and Marcia Gay Harden. The annual tribute gala—past honorees include Clooney, Nicole Kidman, Jodie Foster and Rob Reiner—serves as a fundraiser for American Cinematheque, an organization that works to promote filmmaking.

The Roberts tribute will air on AMC Dec. 5.