“It’s not your typical gala,” the chairwoman of the public radio station WNYC, Nicki Tanner, said as guests arrived at Cipriani 42nd Street on Monday night to attend the organization’s 10th gala.

The bellinis and dinner rolls looked as they always do, but the dinner program did indeed offer something different. Musical talent Ann Hampton Callaway sang about the station with improvised lyrics. “Three cheers, it took only 84 years to leave the nest” was one of her gems, referring to the station’s move to its own offices — scheduled for the spring — from city-owned space in the Manhattan Municipal Building.

Before the chocolate soufflé came a shortened, slightly drunk version of the Chicago-based current events trivia show, “Wait, Wait … Don’t Tell Me!” Host Peter Sagal, official judge and scorekeeper Carl Kasell, and regular panelists P.J. O’Rourke, Paula Poundstone, and Roxanne Roberts were all on hand. Answering questions about prospective American presidential candidates Mayor Giuliani and Senator Clinton were actors Lili Taylor (who won her round and therefore won Rep. Nita Lowey’s husband, Steve Lowey, the honor of having Mr. Kasell record his answering machine message) and David Hyde Pierce, who lost his round.

The gala provided great one-time-only entertainment while raising more than $1 million. Many of the guests were just as enthusiastic about their daily listening to WNYC.

“My favorite podcasts are Leonard Lopate, Brian Lehrer, Sara Fishko, and Studio 360,” Ms. Tanner, who listens on her green iPod, said.

“I have to drag myself away from the radio every day,” art dealer Martha Fleischman, a new board member of WNYC, said.

“I can’t imagine a morning without public radio,” the co-host of an upcoming WNYC drive-time morning radio show, Adaora Udoji, said. Ms. Udoji and her co-host John Hockenberry will make their debut with an election special on November 6.

Ms. Udoji’s parents, Amaechi and Mary Udoji, traveled from Michigan to attend the gala. “As you can see, they’re a little proud … My mother wasn’t so thrilled about the dress, but I think she’ll get over that.”

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