Although the Oscars this year was nowhere as gay as the last, comedian and chat show host Ellen DeGeneres made history as its first openly gay host in its 79-year history and is only the second woman to host the event solo, with Whoopi Goldberg being the first in 2002.

The 49-year-old, who currently hosts an award-winning weekday talk show, came out 10 years ago in her sitcom Ellen and became the first openly gay lead character on a US prime-time television. That year, she appeared on the cover of TIME magazine with the simple but groundbreaking headline: "Yep, I'm Gay."

Despite being known for her trademark tailored suit style, she revealed that Oscar producers and designers had tried to get her in a dress for the big event.

"There was some pressure with people wanting me to wear a gown. That's understandable; it's a glamorous night. But a gown is just not what I'm most comfortable in. It's not what works best for me," she said.

Hosting the twice-delayed Emmy Awards in November 2001 just two months after the tragedy of 9/11, she won wide approval amidst criticism that the awards show should be further postponed or cancelled by saying: "We're told to go on living our lives as usual because to do otherwise is to let the terrorists win, and really, what would upset the Taliban more than a gay woman wearing a suit in front of a room full of Jews?"

In 2005 DeGeneres was again selected to host the Emmy Awards, this time just three weeks after Hurricane Katrina.

Drawing on the ethnic diversity of acting nominees, among them five blacks, two Latinas and an Asian, DeGeneres did not miss the chance to remind viewers worldwide of the inequality some people face.

"What a wonderful night, such diversity in the room, in a year when there's been so many negative things said about people's race, religion and sexual orientation. And I want to put this out there: If there weren't blacks, Jews and gays, there would be no Oscars. Or anyone named Oscar, when you think about that."

Out lesbian singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge caused a stir by shutting out all three Dreamgirls (nominations) to take a man home. "This is the only naked man that will ever be in my bedroom," Etheridge jested with reporters backstage.

She took home the Best Original Song award for "I Need To Wake Up," a song she penned for the documentary An Inconvenient Truth which won Best Documentary Feature. The film chronicles former Vice President of the United States Al Gore's campaign to warn the world about global warming.

When Etheridge's name was announced, she kissed her partner Tammy Lynn Michaels on the lips and onstage referred to Michaels as her wife. Although they consider themselves married, same-sex unions are not legally binding in their home state California.

Discussing the kiss with reporters backstage, Etheridge said: "I have not been one to kiss my partner in public just for sensationalism, I was kissing her because that's what you do, you kiss your loved one when you win an Oscar, that's what I grew up believing."

Big winners of the evening included British actress Helen Mirren, who took home the Best Actress award for The Queen, in which she played Queen Elizabeth, the current monarch of England; and Best Actor Forrest Whitaker for his role in The Last King of Scotland.

Martin Scorsese won the best director Oscar - the first time in seven tries in his career - for The Departed which snagged four awards including the Best Picture prize beating nominees Babel, Little Miss Sunshine, The Queen and Letters from Iwo Jima.

Here are the winners in full:

Actress in a Leading Role
Helen Mirren, The Queen

Actor in a Leading Role
Forest Whitaker, The Last King of Scotland

Actor in a supporting role
Alan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine

Actress in a supporting role
Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
The Departed

Writing (Original Screenplay)
Little Miss Sunshine

Directing
The Departed

Best Picture
The Departed

Documentary feature
An Inconvenient Truth

Documentary short subject
The Blood of Yingzhou District

Art Direction
Pan's Labyrinth

Music
Babel

Sound Mixing
Dreamgirls

Music (Song)
An Inconvenient Truth

Sound Editing
Letters from Iwo Jima

Foreign Language Film
The Lives of Others

Film Editing
The Departed

Visual Effects
Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

Animated Feature
Happy Feet

Short Film
West Bank Story

Short Film (Animated)
The Danish Poet

Costume Design
Marie Antoinette

Makeup
Pan's Labyrith