This year's Oscars may not have been filled with great surprises - well, except for Sacha Baron Cohen spilling Kim Jong Il's ashes all over "Brian" Seacrest - but it was a pretty good night for the world of comedy. Or at least the world of comedy-drama.
As expected, The Artist (is it a comedy? Is it a drama?) won big - picking up five Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor for its leading man Jean Dujardin.
Best Adapted Screenplay went to The Descendants (is it a comedy? Is it a drama?) - with writers Jim Rash, Nat Faxon and writer-director Alexander Payne providing the comedy highlight of the night with their gentle mocking of presenter Angelina Jolie. Woody Allen picked up the Best Original Screenplay for Midnight In Paris - beating, among others, Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo for Bridesmaids - and true to form, failed to show up to collect it.
Octogenarian Christopher Plummer received the Best Supporting Actor award for his portrayal of an elderly gay man in Beginners (is it a comedy? Is it a drama?) - beating Jonah Hill's turn in Moneyball - while Melissa McCarthy missed out on an Oscar for her barnstorming performance in Bridesmaids, losing (as expected) to The Help's Octavia Spencer.
Check out the full list of winners - and below, last night's comedy stars on stage, backstage, and on the red carpet: