No 2012 Oscar Bashes By Barry Diller Or Dani Janssen: End Of An Era Or Hiatus?

Hollywoods 2012 Oscar Party Roundup EXCLUSIVE: If my roundup of Hollywood’s Oscar parties looks smaller than usual, it is. Fewer media, organizations, and swellsare having parties over the next week. But two fetes in particular will be missed by their annual attendees: Barry Diller’s Oscar weekend mogul picnic on Saturday afternoon, and Dani Janssen’s after-the-Oscarsparty on Sunday night. Both hosts give similar reasons for cancelling their events this year: domicile problems.There are still the Oscar weekend’sFriday night agency parties Jim Berkus UTA party andAri Emanuels WME feteand Bryan Lourds CAA bash. And the fundraisers like Elton John’s and the blowouts like Vanity Fair‘s. But for years the place to really see the Big Media moguls, past and present, and their assorted pilot fish on parade has been Dillerslawn luncheon ostensibly in honor of Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter.Of course, Diller is now underwriting Tina Brown’s Daily Beast/Newsweek so celebrating rival media may not make for good business.But that’s not the reason Diller is giving for not holding the party this year. And the door is open for him to hold it next year. As for my pal Dani Janssen, she, too, is keeping the door open to holding her party next year. Hers was the very private Oscar party for Hollywood’s Triple-A list that no one could crash.In past years Danis guests in her Century City penthousehave includedJack Nicholson and Barbra Streisand and Oprah and Steven Spielberg and Reese Witherspoon and Jim Carrey and Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn and Harrison Ford and Tom Hanks and Brian Grazer and Ron Meyer and Al Pacino and Owen Wilson and Mariah Carey and Bruce Springsteen and, of course, her close friend Clint Eastwood.(The two have known each other since they were in Universal Studios ingnue school together.) Right after he won Best Director and Best Picture for Million Dollar Baby, and snagged Academy Awards as well for his leading lady Hilary Swank and supporting actor Morgan Freeman, Eastwood told the media he was going to Danis for an ale. And when the media clamored to follow him, Clint smiled, This party is so exclusive, Ill be lucky to get in.Thats why Danis feels like a gathering of the clan if your family was the Hollywood glitterati. Its where Barbra joked with Oprah (brought by Quincy Jones)discuss their weight loss secrets. WhereJack Nicholson spends his time in Danis kitchen and outside on Danis terrace. Where Penny Marshall takes a catnap on Danis sofa. Where notorious recluse David Lynch tells guests he waits 364 days of the year for Danis party. Add to the mix Tim Robbins, Pierce Brosnan, Robin Williams, Shirley MacLaine, Patricia Arquette, Harvey Keitel, Calista Flockhart, Don Rickles, Bob Newhart,Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta Jones, Antonio Banderas, Melanie Griffith, Richard Dreyfus, George Segal, Dan Aykroyd, Holly Hunter, Billy Crystal, Sidney Poitier, John McEnroe, Patty Smyth, Daryl Hannah, Nicolas Cage, Kevin Spacey, Carrie Fisher, Courtney Love — all have been guests at Dani’s Oscar party.Partygoers whod been presenters at the Oscars often change their clothes for Danis party so they can just hang. They also know the rules of the house: dont talk business or try to drum up work or youll be banned by Dani next year. And definitely dont gate crash. Dani and herlate husband, TV legendDavid Janssen, used to give the best Oscar bash in town, but when he died suddenly in 1980, she told Hollywood agent Irving Swifty Lazar to take over her guest list. When Lazar died in 1993, the big question was whod host the Triple-A list celeb party on Oscar night. Dani decided to have a few friends over, which wound up to be more than 100. The invitees used to go straight from the Governors Ball or from Vanity Fairs party to Danis. She used to host aviewing party, but then gave that up.The party ends only when the last guest leaves, and that could be 4 a.m. Danis Southern home-cookin is always the same menu: rib-sticking smothered chicken, vegetable casserole, sweet potato surprise, black-eyed peas, tossed salad and her famous Monkey Bread. Then, theres Danis hospitality. She isnt a celebrity. She has no agenda. She isnt promoting any movie or cause. She’s the perfect hostess.