It was a glittering night filled with glamorous A-listers, free-flowing drinks, and poor taste Diddy jokes as New York’s social set descended on the American Museum of Natural History for its annual gala.
The star-studded winter night at the iconic museum kicked off at 7pm, 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 unexpected appearance on the red carpet, with the future Hall of Famer in a traditional tuxedo and his date flaunting her thigh in a high-cut matching black dress.
Disgraced actor Alec Baldwin was uncharacteristically animated as he arrived at the black-tie event, flanked by his wife Hilaria.
With just minutes until dinner was set 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 making his way down to the main event.
His wife, when asked what she was wearing, said her lavish jewels and black gown were simply ‘from my closet.’
Scarlett Johansson, 40, cozied up with Saturday Night Live’s Marcello Hernandez inside the star-studded gala on Thursday night in New York City
Paul Mescal chatted with Saturday Night Live creator and producer Lorne Michaels at their table during the glitzy gala
Acquitted actor Alec Baldwin was in high spirits on the red carpet – as he posed with his wife
Irish actor Paul Mescal turned every head in the room as he arrived wearing a dapper suit – a far cry from his scantily-clad Gladiator II costumes, and the athletic shorts he’s often snapped wearing 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 glittering guests inside 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-style freak off.’
Jost told cackling guests that a lucky auction winner would receive a ‘freak off’ of their own, hosted at actor Steve Martin’s property, who was also in attendance.
Awkward smiles and sneering continued as the daring emcee 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 and charged with racketeering and sex trafficking in September. The disgraced mogul, who is now in prison awaiting his 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 that there were indeed ‘no freak offs or Staten Island ferries’ on the ticket tonight – thanking Jost for ‘spreading fake news.’
Jost’s bad-taste gaffes about disgraced entertainment moguls didn’t end there – as he made reference to the museum’s 2023 decision to remove the 12,000 human remains it had in its public collection.
‘They took all the bodies from the museum, and just gave them to Armie Hammer,’ the host said to shocked gala guests.
SNL royalty Colin Jost made the crowds laugh with awkward jokes about Sean ‘Diddy Combs’ ‘freak offs’
A-list celebs made their way to Manhattan’s Upper West Side for the event
Colin Jost and Steve Martin chat during the coveted gala – where celebs and millionaires gathered in aid of the American Museum of Natural History
Win Butler and Paul Beaubrun of Arcade Fire perform on stage
The real party kicked off as Arcade Fire took to the stage for their private set – with Paul Mescal and Scarlett Johansson being the first to stand up out of their seats
Actor Hammer, 38, has faced a slew of rancid cannibal and sexual assault allegations in recent years.
But Jost admitted he felt ‘sorry’ for the actor – saying ‘who hasn’t told a woman “I want to cook you and eat you?”’ – which was met with muffled laughter across the glitzy museum floor.
Saturday Night Live’s Heidi Gardner showed up fashionably late to her table, as Majority House Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer told guests all about his love of the museum ahead of the unveiling of a new $45M Apex Stegosaurus skeleton.
The first auction prize of the night was a 10-person dinner with Neil deGrasse Tyson inside the museum’s Hayden Planetarium, which one guest successfully won for a whopping $50,000 after a fierce bidding war.
But the real party kicked off as legendary rock band Arcade Fire took to the stage for their private set – with Paul Mescal and Scarlett Johansson being the first to stand up out of their seats.
Drinks flowed as Hollywood stars jived with SNL royalty – including Marcello Hernandez, who seemed to be enjoying his newfound rocket to stardom after his viral skit playing homewrecker Domingo.
Chloe Fineman (center) was all smiles at the gala – until her dress busted open
Paul Mescal turned heads as he arrived at the gala
Gala guests dined underneath the museum’s Blue Whale
All eyes were on Johansson and her husband Jost as they entered the museum on Thursday
Hernandez and Scarlett Johansson, 40, shared a tender moment as the music blared, with the actor trying – and failing – to seductively catch a long-stem pink rose in his mouth, thrown from across the table by the Black Widow actress.
In between her sessions rocking out to Arcade Fire, belle of the ball Johansson nuzzled up with her husband Jost, who tenderly kissed his wife after his shift as emcee.
Wicked star Bowen Yang was also in attendance, ferociously dancing to the music before his fellow SNL cast member Chloe Fineman’s gorgeous Prabal Gurung dress zipper broke.
But the blond comedian bravely continued on with her night – and gracefully exited the museum with her clutch bag behind her back, masking the wardrobe malfunction.
