It was a glittering evening of glamorous A-listers, free-flowing drinks and bad-taste Diddy jokes as New York’s social gathering descended on the American Museum of Natural History for its annual gala.
The star-studded winter night at the iconic museum began at 7 p.m., as Hollywood elites and millionaire donors dined and danced among priceless scientific artifacts.
Bill Belichick, 72, and his much younger girlfriend Jordan Hudson, 24, made their first surprise appearance on the red carpet, with the future Hall of Famer in a traditional tuxedo and his date showing off her thigh in a high-cut matching black dress.
Disgraced actor Alec Baldwin was unusually animated as he arrived at the black-tie event flanked by his wife Hilaria.
With just minutes before dinner was due to be served, the acquitted Rust star rushed off the red carpet and darted to the open bar – where he downed a glass of bubbly before heading into the main event.
When his wife was asked what she was wearing, she said her lavish jewelry and black dress were just “from my closet.”
Scarlett Johansson, 40, got cozy with Saturday Night Live’s Marcello Hernandez at the star-studded gala in New York City on Thursday night
Paul Mescal chatted with Saturday Night Live creator and producer Lorne Michaels at their table during the glitzy gala
Acquitted actor Alec Baldwin stood cheerfully on the red carpet as he posed with his wife
Irish actor Paul Mescal turned every head in the room when he arrived in a dapper suit – a far cry from his scantily clad Gladiator II costumes and the athletic shorts he often wears on the streets of New York City.
As people took their seats, Saturday Night Live’s Colin Jost made his way to the stage to welcome the dazzling guests to the museum’s Blue Whale room.
Laughter erupted among the millionaires when the comedian, 42, joked that the most coveted auction ticket of the night would be a “Diddy-esque freak off.”
Jost told cackling guests that one lucky auction winner would get their own “freak off,” hosted at the property of actor Steve Martin, who was also in attendance.
Awkward smiles and jeers continued as the daring host said Martin promised his bash, for 300 of the winner’s friends, would be “a Diddy party times a billion.”
Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested in September and charged with racketeering and sex trafficking. The disgraced mogul, who is now in jail awaiting trial, was known for hosting lavish parties where the alleged sex crimes would take place.
When Christie’s auctioneer Sara Friedlander started her segment, she made sure to add a disclaimer tonight that there were indeed “no freak-offs or Staten Island ferries” on the ticket — and thanked Jost for “spreading fake news.”
Jost’s bad taste blunders about disgraced entertainment moguls didn’t stop there — he was referring to the museum’s 2023 decision to remove the 12,000 human remains it had in its public collection.
“They took all the bodies out of the museum and gave them to Armie Hammer,” the host told shocked gala guests.
SNL royalty Colin Jost made audiences laugh with awkward jokes about Sean ‘Diddy Combs’ ‘freak offs’
A-list celebrities descended on Manhattan’s Upper West Side for the event
Colin Jost and Steve Martin chat at the coveted gala – where celebrities and millionaires gathered to support the American Museum of Natural History
Arcade Fire’s Win Butler and Paul Beaubrun perform on stage
The real party started when Arcade Fire took to the stage for their private set – with Paul Mescal and Scarlett Johansson the first to rise from their seats
Actor Hammer, 38, has faced a slew of salacious cannibal and sexual assault allegations in recent years.
But Jost admitted he felt “sorry” for the actor – saying “who hasn’t said to a woman, ‘I want to cook you and eat you?'” – which was met with muffled laughter on the glitzy museum floor.
Saturday Night Live’s Heidi Gardner showed up fashionably late to her table as Majority House Leader Senator Chuck Schumer told guests all about his love for the museum ahead of the unveiling of a new $45 million Apex Stegosaurus skeleton.
The first auction prize of the evening was a dinner for 10 with Neil deGrasse Tyson at the museum’s Hayden Planetarium, which one guest successfully won for a whopping $50,000 after a fierce bidding war.
But the real party started when legendary rock band Arcade Fire took to the stage for their private set – with Paul Mescal and Scarlett Johansson the first to rise from their seats.
The drinks flowed as Hollywood stars rubbed shoulders with SNL royalty — including Marcello Hernandez, who seemed to enjoy his new rocket to stardom after his viral skit playing Homewrecker Domingo.
Chloe Fineman (centre) was all smiles at the gala – until her dress split open
Paul Mescal turned heads when he arrived at the gala
Gala guests dined under the museum’s Blue Whale
All eyes were on Johansson and her husband Jost on Thursday when they entered the museum
Hernandez and Scarlett Johansson, 40, shared a tender moment as the music blared, with the actor trying – but failing – to seductively catch a long-stemmed pink rose in his mouth, which was thrown across the table by the Black Widow actress was thrown.
In between her sessions rocking out to Arcade Fire, prom beauty Johansson snooped with her husband Jost, who tenderly kissed his wife after his shift as a presenter.
Bad star Bowen Yang was also in attendance, dancing furiously to the music before fellow SNL cast member Chloe Fineman’s gorgeous Prabal Gurung dress zipper broke.
But the blonde comedian bravely continued with her evening – and gracefully left the museum with her handbag on her back, masking the wardrobe malfunction.