Inside the Time 100 gala: Meyers roasts no-shows Obama, Putin, Kim Jong Un
Amy Adams, Carrie Underwood, Pharrell Williams, Alfonso Cuarón among celebrities in attendance
NEW YORK — President Barack Obama, Pope Francis and Edward Snowden were no-shows at the annual Time 100 gala honoring the "most influential people in the world" on Tuesday night at Jazz at Lincoln Center.
"Which seems surprising," Seth Meyers, host of NBC's "Late Night," said of the National Security Agency contractor-turned-leaker-turned-exiled-fugitive, "for someone who lives in an airport."
So, too, were North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ("Although based on pictures of him, it seems like he may be on the Time 300," Meyers joked) and Hillary Clinton.
"I'm sure there are many people here who would like to see her run for president in 2016," Meyers said. "Barack Obama would like to see her run for president as soon as possible."
Meyers, also a member of the Time 100, said he knew where his place on was on the list.
"At best, I'm mid- to high-90s," he said. "I get that."
Russian President Vladimir Putin, another Time 100 honoree, was not in attendance, either.
"In the Russian edition, he made the Time 1," Meyers quipped.
Matthew McConaughey also made the list, but was not able to attend the event. "Time should have known he wasn't going to show when they asked him to come and he said 'All right' once," Meyers said.
Those that braved the chilly, windswept New York evening — including Amy Adams, Carrie Underwood, Martha Stewart, Sen. Rand Paul, Rupert Murdoch and Yahoo's own Katie Couric — heard Pharrell Williams (with a band-aid on his chin) perform his No. 1 hit "Happy," as celebrities like Matt Lauer sang along from their tables.
As has become a Time 100 tradition, the dinner included a series of toasts: Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker gave a toast to his mother; New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand toasted Hillary Clinton, who she said inspired her to go into public service; and "Gravity" director Alfonso Cuarón paid tribute to future generations that "show the impossible can happen."
Before dinner, Mark Kelly, retired astronaut and husband of former Arizona Rep. Gabby Giffords, introduced himself to Cuarón, telling him he was a fan of his work.
You mean Cuarón didn't hire Kelly as a consultant on "Gravity"?
"Are you kidding?" Kelly said. "No way."
Nonetheless, Kelly said he loved the space thriller.
"It was amazing," he said.
Meyers, seated at Cuarón's table, agreed.
"The visual effects were just amazing," Meyers said. "George Clooney didn't look a hair over 45."
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