Comedienne Rosie O’Donnell was honored at a gala for the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (the world’s first child protection agency) at the Pierre.

Deborah Norville played emcee, and Broadway star Liz Callaway performed for the packed house, which included Joan Rivers—hot off her Bravo comedy special, Before Melissa Pulls the Plug. We asked if she received any flak for the show, in which she professes to hate everyone, to which she squawked back, “At this stage of the game, who cares?”

Rosie, looking uncharacteristically chic, took the stage with her trademark humor: “They said black-tie, and I had a panic attack,” she said. “A lot of very rich Republicans here [referring to Georgette Moshbacher]... I’m taking it slow; the Republican thing pisses me off!”

All for the kids included: Adrienne and Gianluigi Vittadini, Amanda and Neil Friedman, Kelli Carpenter (Rosie’s wife), Chris and Linda Baldwin, Liz Calloway, Michael and Dana Goldstein, John Mattingly, Joan Lawrence, Dana Caruso Schiff, Judge Joseph Lauria, David Stack, Mary Pulido, and Henry and Whitney Topping.