At Italian American Gala, A Salute to Signora Robinson

"Punctuality is my forte," Martha-Ann Alito preened, looking glamorous in a slate-blue beaded dress.

"Please," said the couple's 18-year-old daughter, Laura Alito.

"I think we might challenge that," agreed the Alitos' son, Philip, who is 20.

Martha-Ann Alito gave her children a look.

"We're just kidding," Philip Alito said. "Sort of."

"With the exception of your state swim meet," Martha-Ann Alito told Laura. And the subject dropped.

For the past 31 years, this black-tie affair has drawn huge crowds to celebrate the achievements of Italian Americans and to eat divine Italian food. Last night's menu was no chicken-and-broccoli affair. Dinner began with an antipasto platter, then a course of assorted breads with roasted-garlic olive oil and balsamic vinegar, followed by porcini-dust-crusted veal chop with a wine sauce, and a dessert buffet.

Past honorees and invited guests include Luciano Pavarotti, Sophia Loren, Tim McGraw, Robert De Niro, Lee Iacocca, Giorgio Armani, Roberto Benigni, Al Pacino, Andrea Bocelli, Nicolas Cage, Yogi Berra, Tony Bennett, Joe Montana, John Travolta, and Paul Tagliabue.

Two years ago, country star McGraw took home an award -- his mom was born Betty D'Agostino.

Bancroft's husband of 41 years, Mel Brooks, accepted the award on her behalf. The Oscar-winning actress died last year of cancer.

"Of course, I'm heartbroken," he said before the gala began. "I wish she could enjoy it."

Peeking out of his tuxedo pocket was a stripe of red that turned out to be a gift from Alda's wife -- a tie decorated with musical notes, in honor of the Broadway musical "Young Frankenstein," whose songs and half the book he is writing.

The show goes on.