The spread.

Syphilis hasn’t been this popular since it killed off Henry VIII, but thanks to hordes of amorous hipsters spreading it all over Manhattan, Soho has become rife with the ulcerous stuff, according to a new report by the New York City Health Department.

Not to be outdone by their cooler downtown counterparts, Murray Hill and the Upper West Side have also secured themselves a spot in the three most infected areas, with 10 times more syphilis-ridden residents than the rest of NYC. We know that elitism still exists, but this rashy bad boy seems to have incredibly high standards—for an STD, at least.

The Health Department's new report compiled data accrued in 2010, a year that wasn’t short of a sex scandal or two, with Tiger Woods, Tiki Barber and Brett Favre all playing away from home. No wonder sportsmen have a bad rep.

Gotta catch 'em all.

Whatever it was, now 13 of the 20 neighborhoods with the STD’s highest rates are in Manhattan. The study also found that Chelsea ranked as the second most generally sexually infected part of the city.

If you’re looking for a hookup that won’t make your nether regions feel like the seventh circle of hell, head to Staten Island, where the syphilis rates failed to make it into the top 20. They’ll need to work a lot harder at screwing up their sexual health if they want to get rid of their status as the forgotten borough.

But residents of the Bronx have been taking things to the other extreme, with the majority of neighborhoods racking up more than one STD. In fact, 68 percent of the area has multiple infections floating around the place, making it the least desirable location for a one-night stand. Tremont was named as the worst neighborhood, closely followed by Hunts Point and High Bridge, so partygoers, now you know where to avoid on your next big night out.

With syphilis enjoying its 21st-century resurgence in the posher ZIP codes, we’ll be keeping our legs crossed on our next meander around Soho.

Pierce. Photo Credit: Monica Simoes

The Observer has been suffering from a little Plaza overdrive lately thanks to a relentless stream of winter benefits held in the hotel’s Grand Ballroom. Does nobody think outside the gilded box anymore? But an evening of grandiose glamour did somewhat suit Sunday night’s New York Stage and Film Gala in which the non-profit developmental arts company celebrated some of Broadway’s seasoned stars. Triple Tony award winning producer Roger Horchow and actor Tony Shalhoub, who is currently starring in the acclaimed revival of Clifford Odets’ Golden Boy, were the evening’s honorees, with the likes of David Hyde Pierce, Jennifer Westfeldt and diminutive debutante Lilla Crawford taking the stage to speak—and sing—to the award recipients.

Everyone was in high spirits as the event got underway, with the jovial honorees’ speeches making a welcome change from the usual modest-yet-mundane offerings award ceremony podiums seem to incite. Mr. Horchow, whose past credits include Kiss Me Kate, Gypsy and Crazy For You, titillated the crowd with anecdotes about family friends George Gershwin and Cole Porter, and his dramatic career move from businessman to Broadway baby. Making the switch just two decades ago—a somewhat recent venture for the octogenarian—was clearly a wise move for Mr. Horchow, whose way with words made his success as an author entirely believable.

Little Miss Crawford, Broadway’s newest orphan Annie, had the audience eating out of her tiny palm after a rendition of the iconic musical’s “The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow.” But not everyone was quite taken by the 11-year-old’s performance, with honoree Mr. Shalhoub branding the pre-teen a “precocious little monster troll” in the midst of his acceptance speech. The jokes continued to come thick and fast as the Monk actor mused upon his career highlights, and a star studded video made in his honor by Polly Draper was equally lighthearted. “They are unforgettable performances,” a projection of Alfred Molina said of his friend's work. “I just can’t remember any of them.” Well we didn’t say it was cutting edge hilarity, but we tittered nonetheless.

Emmy and Golden Globe winning Mr. Shalhoub was far less rambunctious during the cocktail reception, reeling The Observer in with tales of his heady student days at Yale and some rather immaculately crafted facial hair. Revealing his close links to the company, he told us, “New York Stage and Film was started by old friends of mine, and we all started at Yale Drama School together a million years ago. I love the whole organization, and that they thought of me for this award is a terrific honor.”

Two time Tony Award winning director Alex Timbers was equally impressed by the company, branding them “completely developmental.” Telling The Observer of his recent European stage exploits in Germany, he mused, “The director has a larger role over there, and you have three casts at once instead of the same group of actors every night. That means you have to say goodbye to perfection a little bit, and just go with the larger vision, which is really fun.”

The creative chatter didn’t stop flowing there, as we nibbled our roasted beets alongside composers and filmmakers at the dinner table. The artistic young bloods were mercifully—for the charity’s sake—counter balanced by the blue bloods in attendance, who helped to bolster the donation fund. Raising thousands of dollars to cover the costs of play readings, workshops and stagings, it was a comfort to find contributors willing to bankroll the dwindling finances set aside for the arts. Sure, we care about polar bears too, but their song and dance numbers are inevitably less impressive, and The Observer does so love to be entertained.

And perhaps the most entertainment friendly face in the crowd—albeit one slightly masked by a burgeoning thicket of facial fuzz—was David Hyde Pierce. Currently starring alongside Sigourney Weaver in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, the four time Emmy Award winning actor told us: “I love New York —I was born upstate and lived here after college and before I did television.” Mr. Hyde Pierce was well acquainted with both of the night’s honorees, having worked with Mr. Horchow on Curtains, a musical from which he performed a tributary number to his pal, and with Mr. Shalhoub on The Heidi Chronicles. After 11 years as neurotic Dr. Niles Crane on Frasier,  Mr. Hyde Pierce seems to have all but dispensed with the small screen, choosing instead to grace the stages of London’s West End and Broadway. “I prefer the stage to television,” he revealed. “It’s very easy to choose.” Don't tell Kelsey Grammer!

The stage was evidently close to the hearts of all the evening’s guests, as was a good night’s sleep, with the proceedings wrapping up at an hour so respectable The Observer barely recognized it. While the diamond drenched grand dames of Manhattan gladly filed into their cabs, we scurried off into the downpour in search of the next party.

On the market! (YouTube)

Breaking up is never easy, but Jonathan Mann, star of viral video "We’ve Got to Break Up," is having a smoother time than most—with fans so touched by his desire for kiddiewinks that they're offering to bear his children. “There was one woman who seemed very sure that the world is going to end on December 21st, and she said ‘Hey, join me in Bali, we’ll make babies before the world ends.’ That was a good one!” Mr. Mann told The Observer over the phone today.

The song was intended as a way of letting friends know the status of their relationship without reducing their news to “straight up Facebook overshares,” Mr. Mann said. “It’s definitely an overshare,” he conceded, “but I like it better this way.”

The lyrics were penned by the 30-year-old singer, with lines such as "Just invite us to your parties and we’ll work it out/Don’t feel weird, we love all of you." The song has evidently touched the hearts of thousands of people, some of whom have been compelled to contact Mr. Mann about his soul searching number. “I have had a few people messaging me on Twitter, but I think they’re just joking around,” he mused.

But he has no plans to go crying on the shoulders of any sympathetic online laydeez just yet. “I’m happy with the reaction I’ve had to the video, but it doesn't really affect me one way or the other,” he said. “I’m still really sad.” He has, however, been putting this new found affection from randoms to good use, divulging: “There was one New York lady who offered to help me with my OKCupid profile. I already have one, and when I sent it to her, she said it was really good!”

Touched.

Mr. Mann’s 1,435th ditty, which he planned a couple of months after splitting up with his girlfriend of five years, Ivory King, became a viral hit yesterday. The musical pair decided to make one last collaboration in the form of "We've Got To Break Up," where they explained that their disparate views on having children meant they could no longer continue the relationship.

And the added YouTube hits will undoubtedly be perking him up too. Mr. Mann has enjoyed “semi” net success in the past with another of his collaborations with his ex-girlfriend entitled "Vegan Myths Debunked," which racked up nearly 100,000 hits on YouTube. “My largest view counts are in the millions, so unless this video gets a couple of million hits, it’s just another day in the office,” he told The Observer.

And he has spent 1,435 days in the office thus far as part of his Song a Day project. “I started off doing a few songs, and then just kept it going because it was such a good thing for my artistic practice,” he told us, explaining how his daily YouTube offerings came to be. “ I've never had a day off from it—not even on Thanksgiving,” he said.

“I’ve been really touched by my friends’ reactions to the video, and it makes me happy that they’ve been so moved by it,” Mr. Mann said. “It’s nice to know that our pain can make other people feel things.”

Photo by RooskyGirl on Flickr.

Both socialism and capitalism enjoyed unparalleled popularity in 2012—according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, at least. Thanks to America's heightened political curiosity during the election year, those two words have topped the list of the online dictionary’s most-searched items, beating out the likes of 'touché,' ‘Schadenfreude’ and 'meme,' all of which placed in the top 10. Editor at large Peter Sokolowski described the joint win as a “no-brainer,” with the decision marking the first time the accolade has been shared since Merriam-Webster’s rankings began in 2003.

"Our research showed that people would look up one [of the terms] and then immediately look up the other, which makes perfect sense," he told The Observer over the phone. "They are words that are clearly linked politically, rhetorically, culturally and, of course, economically."

'Globalization,' 'marriage' and 'democracy'—alluded to in the Obama-Romney tête-à-têtes held in New York, Florida and Colorado—also made it into the top 10, with the vice presidential debate making its mark on site searches. Joe Biden’s novel insult "malarkey" saw Merriam-Webster’s biggest spike of the year, with a 3,000 percent increase in searches for the word within a 24-hour period. But none of the more politically motivated terms—or in fact any of the words of the year—was actually uttered by Barack Obama or Mitt Romney during the debates (a fact The Observer validated by painstakingly perusing each and every transcript), which Mr. Sokolowski described as "extraordinary."

"On election night itself, 'socialism' had an enormous spike, so it's not that the words are used by the candidates in the debates, but mostly by commentators in the news coverage. They really capture the zeitgeist of the campaign," Mr. Sokolowski said.

"Bigot" was another key player in 2012. Not the most cheerful selection, but perhaps more optimistic than 2011’s word of the year, which was "austerity." Merriam-Webster’s results are somewhat different from those of its dictionary contemporaries, with the Oxford American Dictionary naming web term "gif" as its top word of 2012. This "lexical milestone" (a modest appellation from the head of the U.S. Dictionaries Program, Katherine Martin) was undeniably a more modern choice for 2012, but Merriam-Webster’s search-based analysis demonstrated the public’s keen interest in politics—even if they didn’t fully understand it.

Schadenfreude, us?!

Honorary Chair Mo'Nique. Photo by Dario Calmese

With the holidays fast approaching, nothing brings us pirouetting into the snowflake season quite like the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT). At Wednesday’s Opening Night Gala, the limbs were flying around the stage with unfettered aplomb, flitting from grace to gusto whilst set to solos from the company’s A-List pals Anika Noni Rose, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Jessye Norman.

Now in its 54th year, the group’s rich cultural history was made evident throughout the selection of pieces performed throughout the evening, in particular Revelations, which was initially choreographed by Mr. Ailey himself. The piece had a special significance for Ms. Noni Rose, who told The Observer: “The AAADT was the first ballet that I saw, and Revelations was the piece that stuck in my mind so strongly. So it was a huge honor to be asked to perform here tonight - it was like the circle closed for me.”

The opening was also something of a landmark for dancer Renee Robinson, who was hand-picked by the company’s namesake some 32 years ago. Ms. Robinson is hanging up her dancing shoes this Christmas – for the AAADT at least. Speaking of her three decades with the company, she said, “What feels great is not only that I was chosen by Mr. Ailey, but that I had the opportunity to work under him and hear him speak about his vision and his legacy.”

“Over the years, the changes that have happened within the company have stemmed from the wonderful seed Ailey planted, and that’s what keeps it alive, current and important to society all over the world,” she continued. The only dancer to work under all three of the AAADT’s artistic directors (Mr. Ailey, Judith Jamison and Robert Battle, who currently holds the post), there is no denying that Ms. Robinson knows what the job entails better than anyone. So has she become a mother hen-type figure to the dancers finding their feet in the company? “Oh no,” she laughed, “I’m more like the fun aunt!”

Fun was certainly had by all throughout the evening, from the standing ovation at the performance’s close to hundreds of guests hitting the Hilton’s dance floor for some Beyoncé-esque booty-shaking before the meal began. Academy Award winner and stand-up comic Mo’Nique had the crowd eating out of the palm of her hand during a speech mid-show, and continued to bolster the party atmosphere as the event went on. A long-time AAADT supporter, she told us, “Whenever the group would come to whatever city I was living in at the time, me and my family would go out and see them, and you just felt every movement and every step, every lyric, you felt everything they put into their performances. So when they called and asked me to be involved tonight, it was like – ‘For real? Of course!,’” she enthused.

Widespread involvement in the event was key, with a sublime number in the first half of the show causing quite the stir. As the stern looking company made their way into the audience, apparently selecting ball-gown toting spectators at random, things appeared to be far slicker by the time they reached the stage. Seamlessly moving from the roles of confused audience members to pro-shakers, this additional cast proved that age and physique don’t stand in front of a real dancer’s ability to move, and the piece was precisely the effervescent exhibition of skill that the AAADT has become renowned for.

The dancing continued well into the night, with gala guests evidently inspired by what they had seen earlier on stage. With a jazz band on hand to bust out everybody’s favorite Motown tunes, and the hotel's ballroom decorated like a sparkly winter wonderland, the AAADT brought a slice of Christmassy cheer to New York in a celebration of which Mr. Ailey himself would’ve undoubtedly been proud.

Kelly Ripa and hubby Mark Consuelos gettin' frisky!

Given that it was our second evening in a row at Cipriani's – albeit at the midtown franchise on this occasion – our usual penchant for the venue had been dampened somewhat, and the inclement weather certainly wasn’t helping. But the UNICEF Snowflake Ball managed to turn our well plucked frowns upside down in a glittering evening of philanthropic revelry, with celebrities in a multitude of fields pitching in to lend a hand. The sumptuous menu was designed by revered chefs; the entertainment led by a veritable swing legend, and the auction prizes donated by some of America’s hottest talent. It is fair to say that UNICEF, like the bartenders, got the mix just right.

Katy Perry was the evening’s surprise A-List attendee, swishing through the foyer’s revolving doors in a fishtail dress designed by another of the evening’s guests, Naeem Khan. The couturier’s wife, jewelry designer Ranjana Khan, recently ventured into reality TV land with several appearances on The Real Housewives of New York and was quick to dispel her involvement with any of the cattiness the show has become famed for.

“Being on RHONY was fun, but I didn’t get caught up in the drama,” she told The Observer on the red carpet. “My friend Carole [Radziwill] wanted me to be involved with the last season, and she’s returning for the next one, so I know she might want me to do something again.” Did Mrs. Khan just let an inside secret slip, perchance? Ms. Radziwill is yet to officially confirm her involvement with season six, but you heard it here straight from the jeweler’s mouth. The Observer 1, RHONY 0.

Indeed, spilling secrets seemed to be a trend throughout the evening, with Manhattan’s favorite crooner Tony Bennett revealing: “Lady Gaga called me last night from Peru. She wants to do an album together and we’re going to do it, just me and Gaga. It’s going to be a big swinging album with a big hot band.” Well, perhaps it wasn’t quite the juicy nugget we initially imagined, given that Mr. Bennett has been quoted as saying that the "Poker Face" singer called him the previous night from New Zealand with the idea for a collaborative record. That quote happened three months ago.

Given that Mr. Bennett is at the ripe old age of 86 and still put on a glorious show – some of which was without a microphone – we’ll forgive this little slip. But please be more careful next time, Tony, when toying with our Gaga-fueled emotions.

From genuine secrets to recycled ones, there was one couple on the red carpet who weren’t attempting to hide a thing – step forward Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos. The fruity pair didn’t miss a beat when volunteering to talk about their ahem, romantic interludes, with Ms. Ripa divulging: “We have an Indonesian holiday themed bedroom, and a bed from Bali. Which may or may not have broken once.” Quick, somebody call Poirot, we’ve got a cryptic case of too much information on our hands.

After the duo’s domino effect of smut polluted The Observer’s innocent mind, we went in search of some good clean fun at our table, where we dined with the chefs who put the menu together. Best-selling author and UNICEF ambassador of 12 years Marcus Samuelsson had drafted in help from fellow restaurateurs Michael Anthony and Marc Murphy, who co-created a meal trumped in deliciousness only by their company. As they wined and dined us with a feast of truffle lobster salad and Wagyu steak, the flavors of the food were perfectly enhanced by the Wynton Marsalis Quintet, whose jazzy tunes rose to the very top of Cipriani’s lofty ceilings.

Just edging out the edibles in terms of success was the auction, which contributed to the event's staggering $2.5m raised for the very deserving charity. A backstage pass with Selena Gomez, who was decked out in a floor length Dolce & Gabbana number for the event, scooped two high bids of $20,000 apiece, contributing to the money raised by other high bidders on lots for Lady Gaga tickets and a day on the Knicks’ court as player Tyson Chandler’s personal guest. The guests were not left wanting when it came to an eclectic mix of goods, and spunky auctioneer Courtney Booth of Sotheby’s coaxed the cash from the crowd’s pockets with ease.

There was just time to honor Harry Belafonte before the evening came to a close, and he undoubtedly made a deserving recipient of the Audrey Hepburn Humanitarian Award for his commitment to the charity over the past quarter of a decade. With the audience on their feet as he took to the stage, the emotion in the room was palpable.

It was clear that UNICEF was close to the hearts of all of the evening’s attendees, including Uma Thurman and Téa Leoni, and as we slunk out of Cipriani’s once more, the prospect of returning didn’t seem quite such an imposition.

Quvenzhané Wallis gives her director Behn Zeitlin a big hug.

The red carpet was aglow with the incandescent twinkle of Hollywood’s stars on Monday night at the 22nd annual Independent Film Project Gotham Awards. With Oscar winners Matt Damon and Marion Cotillard amongst the evening’s honorees and the likes of Jack Black, Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, John Krasinski and so many more blazing a trail through the double doors of Wall St.’s Cipriani’s, it was no wonder that the less glamorous side of the velvet rope was a veritable press feeding frenzy. Lucky for us, then, that we had sharpened our claws.

As the guests took their seats for the ceremony, The Observer was whisked upstairs to a private viewing room, lest we cavort too rambunctiously with the delicate A-List crowd. There we watched over the evening’s events like demi-gods looking down from the heavens upon the cherubs pecking away at their meals, with eight year old nominee Quvenzhané Williams and 13 year old Jared Gilman leading the underage coterie.

The awards soon got underway, much to the delight of the recipients. Honoring their intentions as champions of independent cinema, the jury not only rewarded the biggest Hollywood names but the industry’s up-and-comers for their contribution to film. Beasts of the Southern Wild writer and director Benh Zeitlin was undoubtedly the big winner of the night, scooping statuettes – well, glass cuboids - for Breakthrough Director alongside the Bingham Ray Award, dedicated to the late film executive.

Mr. Zeitlin was so swept up with his first victory, however, that he scarcely noticed he had procured a second, pausing in his role as the obliging interviewee only to dash back downstairs to claim his newest prize.

“The fact that the film has gotten out into the world has been overwhelming,” he told The Observer, “And I never imagined this many people would not only see it but champion it, and make it their business to help the film get out there. It has completely changed my life.” A spate of critical successes at Cannes, Sundance, the LA Film Festival and the International Film Festival has seen Louisiana-based Mr. Zeitlin’s awards cabinet go from empty to engorged in a matter of months.

Another director honored for his work during the event was David O. Russell, whose work on the likes of The Fighter and new release Silver Linings Playbook secured his status as a deserving IFP Gotham Award recipient. "With an independent film you are with your little family and you work together all day every day, and that’s the real difference," he explained. "You’re all there for the passion, and I prefer that because projects have to come from the heart. You have to dig deep."

Academy Award-winners and Gotham honorees Mr. Damon and Ms. Cotillard are certainly no strangers to widespread acclaim, but both seemed similarly touched by their newest prestigious accolade. Ms. Cotillard was every inch the elegant belle of the ball, dazzling in an array of Chopard jewelry and a stunning Christian Dior couture gown.

Clearly her nationality influences not only her wardrobe but her passion for various projects, telling The Observer: “I really cherish the fact that I’m able to share my French movies worldwide, because we have amazing creativity in France.” The softly spoken actress, who stars in the recently released Rust and Bone, seemed quite overcome with emotion, before continuing: “With this film I had one of the greatest journeys ever, and to share this very unconventional love story outside of my country is something that I enjoy more than anything. I never choose a movie because of whether it’s independent or not, it’s just a story that’s got to take me. But independent movies have the freedom of telling stories that nobody except a special director would tell.”

Mr. Damon echoed the Parisian sweetheart’s sentiments, divulging, “I’ve never set goals for my career. Each movie is just story-telling, and I never wanted to not do a bunch of good movies because I was waiting to make a great one.”

The evening was particularly poignant for the actor, who recalled his first attendance at the Gotham Awards some 15 years earlier in the year Good Will Hunting was released. The best-buddy-Ben-Affleck spot was filled not by his usual partner in crime, but by Mr. Krasinski, who became fast friends with the honoree after meeting on the set of The Adjustment Bureau, in which Mr. Damon and Mr. Krasinski’s wife Ms. Blunt, starred. The Observer did contemplate asking whether Mr. Damon’s onscreen dalliance with his friend’s spouse ever induced some awkward glances around the dinner table, but we opted to forgo stirring the salacious pot on this occasion.

Back to the matter at hand, Mr. Damon said he enjoyed the ubiquitous montage of his roles over the years, but revealed, “It’s always a little cringe inducing – if you have a bad or mediocre day at work, it’s alive forever, so that part [of working in film] is always a little weird.”

But Mr. Damon, who plays the lead in upcoming indie flick Promised Land, needn’t worry about bad days at the office, given that his most recent prize was for Lifetime Achievement – at the grand old age of 42. “I hope this is like a buoy marker – a half time thing,” he laughed. “I want to do this for another 50 years!”

And with that, our time with Mr. Damon was up, and he was briskly shepherded to the after party with the rest of his showbiz pals. Alas, we did not get the opportunity to put on our dancing shoes and join in the film festivities, but the evening was quite the show itself.

Can you read between the lines? (Photo by LawrenceChua)

Think you’ve seen a stiff poker face? Think again! We're proud (and puzzled) to announce the arrival of "Pokertox," a special kind of Botox aimed at helping gamblers retain that elusive expression of, well, no expression at all.

Poker faces have long been a trademark of the game’s highest rollers, proclaimed creator Jack Berdy, a doctor of aesthetic medicine. The new technique, he said, means that all players can have a much-sought-after frozen forehead.

“I came up with the idea for Pokertox in the last week or so,” Dr. Berdy told The Observer over the phone earlier. “It was just a natural match for the business I’m in and an application that hasn’t been done before.”

A former player himself, the doc said that he “certainly” would have dabbled with the saline stuff if he were still properly involved with the game.

Skeptics have been quick to brand the process as gimmicky, but Dr. Berdy remains confident that “most of my doctor peers will think it’s a wonderful idea.”

Tells such as a furrowed brow or curled lips can now be magicked away with just the prick of a needle, thanks to Dr. Berdy’s innovative new use for the juice. From bagel heads to frotox, there is certainly no shortage of wacky trends where facial paralysis is concerned, although this one could perhaps be more lucrative than its forehead forebears.

The hope that “the serious players will try Pokertox and then talk about it with others” is integral to its success. But given that Dr. Berdy hasn’t yet had any guinea pigs in the Pokertox chair, it remains to be seen whether or not his idea will transform players into the high-rolling tricksters he envisions.

His elation at this new idea may have blinded him to the perils of Pokertox, though, as the prospect of application abusers hadn’t yet struck. The Observer suggested to Dr. Berdy that his innovation may entice criminals into the chair for some guilty-face-eradication (hey, it could happen), but the doctor laughed off our sincere concerns for the judicial integrity of America, saying: “That thought hadn’t even crossed my mind!”

With the process needing touching up every three to four months, Pokertox could be a big winner for both players and practitioners alike. Dr. Berdy may be enthusiastic about his new Botox baby, but only time will tell if his brainwave makes the desired splash in the U.S. poker scene. Or, you know, the witness stand.

The Gemignani family. (Linda Lenzi/BroadwayWorld.com)

Move over Michael Kors – there’s a new indoor-aviator-toting man in town. Last night, legendary Broadway musical director and conductor Paul Gemignani received the Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theater Award at the 21^st annual Oscar Hammerstein Gala, where the cream of New York’s stage crop came out to celebrate his remarkable oeuvre. Speaking to The Observer on the red carpet, Tony award winner Paul Gemignani revealed that he was “terrified” about the evening’s entertainment – a veritable selection of Broadway treats hosted, and in part performed, by his son Alex.

“We don’t go into this industry for awards,” Paul Gemignani continued, “so when it happens, it feels like an out of body experience.”

But one stage and screen stalwart who did have awards on the brain was Mario Cantone, who divulged, “At the moment, I’m working on my new one man show for Broadway, which will debut in fall 2013. Or summer, because guess what, I’ll do it anytime! But it’s a one man show so it won’t get nominated for a Tony.”

Mr. Cantone, who opened the tribute, said that everyone, including him was in for a surprise. “I have no idea what I’m going to do up there - I never prepare!” he said before taking the stage. The crooner began with a faux eulogy to the honoree, which he assured the crowd he had been put up to by Alex Gemignani and then, without missing a beat, he quickly changed his tune – literally – with a number from Assassins.

Following Mr. Cantone's performance, everyone from Brian Stokes Mitchell to Marin Mazzie poured out in honor of the great MD. There was singing, there were speeches – there was even a sumptuous meal put on for the guests. The dimmed lighting and slew of champagne did almost have us nodding off in the comfy seats, but Alex Gemignani’s sweet compering skills managed to coax us out of our near slumber.

The junior Gemignani said he was hoping for high emotion from the evening’s proceedings, and his aims were certainly achieved. Performances by himself, his father’s wife Derin Altay and a step out of musical retirement from director Lonny Price had the honoree wiping the tears from under his shades. Indeed, the younger Gemignani’s rendition of former Oscar Hammerstein Award recipient Cy Coleman’s The Legacy was amongst the star performances of the night. Occasionally, the celebrations did feel a touch like an excuse for the honoree’s son to run amok in a candy store of his favorite Broadway greats, but the sentiment made up for the mild self-indulgence in an evening where a man used to working below the stage rightfully earned his time in the spotlight.

The evening was sophistication itself, with the flavor of the Champagne enhanced only by a collaborative performance from soul singer John Legend and concert pianist Lang Lang. Mr. Lang told The Observer that the duo had been preparing for the brand’s “The Power of Creation” event for three days, and their hard work undeniably paid off. The pair were the toast of the evening, and happily milled around the reception, Mr. Legend looking particularly loved up with his model fiancée Chrissy Teigen.

The tasty morsels whipped up by chef Josh Capon went down a treat, with caviar topped deviled eggs, shot glasses of Manhattan clam chowder and mini lobster sandwiches sating the guests. The church’s intimate vestibule was soon cleared in preparation for the performance, which took place in the building’s stunning hallowed hall. Mr. Legend kicked off the proceedings before being joined by Mr. Lang, with the pair creating their own take on Nina Simone’s cover of Here Comes the Sun. As the singer’s velvety tones rose to the very top of the Hispano-Moresque dome, complimented perfectly by Mr. Lang’s lightning speed tinkling, guests swayed dreamily to the music (most likely due in part to the free flowing champers). Church pews had been removed in favor of black leather seats, which added to the evening’s comfortable elegance.

Guests were also treated to a rendition of All of Me, a song from Mr. Legend’s forthcoming album. He told The Observer, “I’m really excited about the new record, and I feel like it’s coming together beautifully.” Scheduled for completion at the end of the year, the Grammy Award winner has been working with friend and collaborator Kanye West, who also assisted with the creation of his first two records, to produce the new album, which “thinks about what it’s like to be a soul singer in this modern context. We’re in an era where soul music is pushed aside in the landscape of popular music,” he continued. So how does he keep the genre alive? “You keep making the music, but are always thinking about how you can keep it fresh and new and exciting.”

Mr. Legend cut a debonair figure in a suit and bow tie at the sultry event, which was worlds away from his time spent handing out food supplies in Far Rockaway on Saturday. “I didn’t do much,” he said – such modesty! – “but it was crazy to see how things are there when I live in New York and all we had was a power outage.”

As the guests were seated for dinner at a beautifully laid table in the church’s hall, the chatter and laughter continued late into the evening, with glasses of Dom being filled up quicker than attendees could drain them. As the event drew to a close, we tottered out onto the streets of Park Ave filled with delight after a fabulous evening, mixed with just a hint of dread at the thought of the next morning’s fizz induced fuzziness.