The 2007 Robin Hood benefit event this week, raised $71 million, up 32% from a year ago, in what was a display of gilded age excess, according to the Times.

Tom Brokaw started the evening and the comedian Jon Stewart was the host, roasting hedge fund managers for not giving as much as their private equity counterparts.

Two people paid $400,000 each to sing a song with aerosmith. A package that includes dinner for 10 with Mario Batali fetched $1.3 million. An all-expenses-paid trip to the Olympics in China that includes hanging out with the "Today" host Matt Lauer and meeting a member of the United States women's soccer team went for $2.2 million. More here.