John Mayer Jokes About Writers' Strike

In the midst of the Writers' Guild strike, throwing a party to honor NBC Universal's Jeff Zucker and Dick Ebersol had the potential to be one awkward evening, but leave it to goofball singer John Mayer to lighten the mood.

"I'm not in any union yet," he joked to the crowd in between songs at The Paley Center for Media Honors annual Los Angeles gala. "I have a couple of scripts in the car. I wrote myself into Heroes. I have the power to hear other people's iPods. It's not much but it'll work. I could be on The Office too."

After a big laugh from the crowd of actors and executives who lately find themselves on opposing sides of the picket line, Mayer said, "You can say whatever you want when you follow it up with a song everybody knows," before belting out his hit "Waiting on the World to Change."

All things considering, it was a light atmosphere inside the ballroom at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, as Heroes stars Hayden Panettiere, Masi Oka and Milo Ventimiglia joined Zachary Levi of Chuck, Kathy Griffin and The Office's Steve Carell. Hosted by Sunday Night Football's Al Michaels, the event raised funds for the Paley Center (formerly The Museum of Television and Radio) and their various public and industry programs.

By Jon Warech