CANNES, France - Let's face it, the world has been seeing a lot of director Woody Allen lately. From awards ceremonies to celebrity parties, the usually low-key Allen has recently been the toast of Hollywood. Now, the tabloids are asking, "Why?"

The New York Post's Page Six reported one possible explanation Tuesday: Because of his upcoming lawsuit with ex-lover Jean Doumanian, Allen is on a mission to make everyone love him. So, he attended the Academy Awards, the Cannes Film Festival - places he's never been before. Page Six's Cindy Adams suggests Allen might want people to see him in a positive light. Of course, Allen will have a tough time overcoming the villain reputation he acquired when he left long-time partner Mia Farrow and married their adopted daughter Soon-Yi.

Allen invited two people to accompany him and his wife to Cannes to promote his new film "Hollywood Ending," Page Six reports. Apparently, this couple couldn't understand why they'd suddenly been invited - then they realized he doesn't have a whole lot of friends. He needed some human beings to be with him. Anyway, Allen can still comfort himself with the fact that those who don't love his ethics still like his humor. (TRJ)