TINSELTOWN SPYWITNESS.

Byline: Joel Stratte-McClure

ASIAN EXCELLENCE AWARDS: It wasn't difficult to determine the sponsor of the 2006 Asian Excellence Awards at the Wiltern LG Theatre on Thursday night.

``I wish I had a Cuban cigar to go along with this,'' said Quentin Tarantino as he sipped some amber cognac from a tulip-shape glass before taping the show (AZN, 8 p.m. Jan. 29). There were also gigantic bottles of cognac on each table for the night's nominees and honorees, including Tarantino, Lucy Liu and Dr. David Ho.

It definitely had an effect.

``When I'm drunk, I sing and the sound doesn't come out,'' said a scantily clad Bai Ling, who silently ``sang'' before announcing that Sandra Oh was chosen best TV actress. ``Oops, it's Yunjin Kim,'' she corrected herself when the applause died down. Magic Johnson more soberly presented an award to Ho. ``This man saved my life and the lives of countless others,'' said Johnson, who met the HIV/AIDS researcher a decade ago. ``And I love him.''

``If you can figure out what a scientist is doing at an awards ceremony like this, please tell me,'' said Ho, who received the only standing ovation of the night. Most other winners - Daniel Dae Kim (``Lost''), Lynn Chen (``Saving Face'') and Stephen Chow of best-film winner ``Kung Fu Hustle'' - and participants including Vivica A. Fox, Kelly Hu, Nancy Kwan, James Shigeta, Jason Scott Lee, Lisa Ling, Maggie Q, Parminder Nagra, Ralph Macchio, Rob Schneider and Danny DeVito also got some laughs. ``This is the first time I've been in a room with so many Asians and no one's sung karaoke,'' said Schneider. ``When Pat Morita met my family, he said, 'Darn Italians, you all look alike,' '' added Macchio. But Liu ended on a serious note: ``I look forward to the day when it's not considered a risk, and doesn't draw media attention, to cast across color lines.''

Then they all headed to the after-party at the Pacific Design Center, where they were met by hostesses offering glasses of cognac.

'CRASH' COURSE: The movie ``Crash'' failed to pick up an award at the Golden Globes on Monday. But Matt Dillon, Terrence Howard, Chris ``Ludacris'' Bridges, writer/director Paul Haggis and the film's distributor aren't giving up.

``The awards season is a marathon, not a sprint, and we can't let ourselves get dejected by one loss,'' said Tom Ortenberg, the president of Lionsgate Films, during a party for ``Crash'' at Morton's in West Hollywood. ``The actors are still in the zone and working tirelessly to promote the movie.''

``Crash,'' which deals with cultural and racial collisions in L.A., has received numerous awards-show nominations. ``But we're a clear underdog with a slim chance in a year of great films,'' said Haggis, who also wrote ``Million Dollar Baby.'' ``Yet we've got some momentum.''

Commentator Arianna Huffington thinks the Katrina debacle might be responsible for the increased interest in ``Crash.''

``It's become an even more pertinent movie since Katrina again opened our eyes to the country's social and racial disparities,'' Huffington said.

Whatever the reason for the acclaim, the actors are enjoying the ride. ``You make so many films that get no attention that, when there's a good one, it's a real joy to get out and promote it,'' said Dillon, who was nominated for a Golden Globe for his role as an abusive cop.

``It's energizing that this film is opening people's eyes to the very real tensions between different racial groups in L.A. and America,'' added Ludacris. But isn't it fatiguing to constantly be on the awards-show-and-party circuit? ``I'd get more tired staying home and watching TV,'' said Howard, who's also getting nominations for ``Hustle & Flow.''

``This is the payoff for working on a great film.''

We Saw U

Adrien Brody, ``King Kong'' director Peter Jackson and ``Lord of the Rings'' screenwriter/producer Fran Walsh grooving to salsa tunes played by Prince at his private party after the Golden Globes. At Prince's pad, of course!

Shirley MacLaine taking home eight different Jalda handbags from the HBO Luxury Lounge at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills during the Golden Globes.

Dennis Quaid and Carson Daly ordering separately from the late-night menu at the Nine Thirty restaurant at the W Hotel on Hilgard Avenue in Westwood.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) LIU and TARANTINO: Honored with cognac.

(2) DILLON: Happy to promote ``a good one.''