TIME 100 Party Pics!

Barack didn't show. Neither did Osama. And that was just fine with me. I was crushed Tyra didn't make it, though.

Last night's Time 100 gala celebrating the 100 most influential people in the world (as decided by, well, us) took place at the Time Warner Center. We plebes aren't usually invited to these things, but yesterday we got to make up the peanut gallery. I went because
a) this is the closest thing we get to a company picnic
b) I'm a rabid fan of Tullis Onstott, Princeton geosciences professor
c) if there's free finger food involving smoked salmon, I'm pretty much there.

I have to admit it was more fun than a company picnic. There were famous people. Lots of them. The ones I saw with my own two eyes: George Lucas; Tina Fey; Police Commissioner Ray Kelly; Michael J. Fox; Malcolm Gladwell; Arianna Huffington. Others who turned up: Michael Bloomberg; America Ferrara; Brian Williams; John Edwards.

My vote for coolest guest goes to Wesley Autrey, Subway Hero. You know: the guy who threw himself onto the subway tracks to save a total stranter. This smooth gentleman introduced himself to me and to my colleagues Coco and Jeninne, then proceeded to make his way around the place, smiling and handing out business cards that said, "Wesley Autrey, Subway Hero." I swear.

Sometimes my job is cooler than yours. Sometimes.

I made like a Japanese tourist and whipped out my Canon. Below are my fabulously un-TIME-quality party pics. Photo editors, I don't want to hear yo lip.

Ana Marie Cox, Time.com Washington chief and blogging pioneer; Marlene Kahan, executive director of the American Society of Magazine Editors and my "mom"; Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, bleacher creature. / All pictures by LTC

Josh Tyrangiel, boss of Time.com; Nathan Thornburgh, editor of Briefings; Romesh Ratnesar, editor of World. To the men of TIME, "black tie" apparently does not mean the kind you tie in a bow. Or the kind that comes in black.

Joe Klein, TIME columnist and author; Arianna Huffington, blog queen and author. We're talking media elite, people. Media elite.

George Lucas! Can you stand it?

Deirdre Van Dyk, fearless reporter; Bobby Ghosh, fearless Baghdad correspondent; Rebecca Myers, fearless Time.com editor.

Wesley Autrey, subway hero; Matt Lauer, guy on the Today show. In the contest of the media hunks, Autrey totally gets my vote.

Tracy Pollan, actress; Kahan of ASME; Michael J. Fox, actor and Parkinson's activist (sainthood pending).

Tina Fey, writer, actress and my own personal working-girl hero. When her publicist wrapped up the snapping frenzy, she turned back to thank the photographers! ...but who's the dude in the back?