Once the dust settled, it was a rather subdued Academy Awards.

But still, there were moments--some lighthearted, such as when Oscar host Jon Stewart made mention of the current political race by quipping, "Democrats have a historic race going … Hillary Clinton versus Barack Obama. Normally, when you see a Black man or woman president, an asteroid is about to hit the Statue of Liberty." Cue to shot of a laughing Wesley Snipes and Spike Lee.

There were also moments of significant accomplishment. Javier Bardem's Oscar for his portrayal of a homicidal maniac in "No Country for Old Men" marks the first time a Spanish actor has won an Oscar.

"Freeheld" is a short film that documents the 2006 struggle of New Jersey Detective Lt. Laurel Hester in her effort to transfer her pension to her domestic partner. With less than six months, Hester battled local officials to provide security for her partner. Upon accepting their award, filmmakers Cynthia Wade and Vanessa Roth made a plea about equal marriage rights for same-sex couples.

The film's achievement was also noted by GLAAD. "We are thrilled that this powerful film, one that has the potential to change hearts and minds concerning fairness for gay couples, has been honored tonight with a well-deserved Academy Award," said GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano. "We congratulate Cynthia Wade on her achievement and say 'bravo' to the Academy for their selection."

And if you didn't stay up past 11:30 p.m. to see the end of the Oscar telecast, you missed the acceptance speech by producer Scott Rudin, who won an Academy Award when "No Country for Old Men" was named the best picture. Rudin, one of the most feared men in Hollywood, who is openly gay and was pegged by The Wall Street Journal as "Boss-Zilla," thanked his partner, John Barlow, and called him "honey."

"I can't remember another time where the man accepting the award for best picture thanked his husband," notes the online blog AfterElton, which documents news and commentary on gay and bisexual men in entertainment and media.

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