This year marks the fifth annual Time 100, which is Time Magazine’s ranking of the world’s 100 most influential people. The Time 100 Gala 2008 coincided with the Mariah Carey Nick Cannon wedding, drawing more attention than usual to this annual red carpet event. Mariah Carey, one of the Time 100, performed and attendees included many others who made the list, including, John McCain, Robert Downey, Jr., Lance Armstrong, and Tyler Perry.

John McCain’s appearance also drew notice.

John McCain was honored at a gala for Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People,” entering the Time-Warner Center tonight on the red carpet along with other honorees, such as Tyler Perry, Martha Stewart, Herbie Hancock, and Suze Orman.

John McCain arrived alone, wearing a tuxedo generating a buzz as he entered. His wife, Cindy, is in Washington attending a fundraiser.

“I am very honored to be here, and I know my two colleagues are also recognized, Senator Obama and Senator Clinton,” McCain said. “I wish they could be here and they are equally honored. It’s quite a distinction.”

McCain said he looked forward to meeting a lot of smart and accomplished people at the event and had run into one of them on the red carpet. “I just saw one of my heroes, Lance Armstrong, who’s here not only because of his accomplishments but because he’s leading the fight against cancer,” he said.

Source: McCain Honored As One of 100 Most Influential

The Time 100 list is broken down into categories:

* Leaders & Revolutionaries
* Heroes & Pioneers
* Scientists & Thinkers
* Artists & Entertainers
* Builders & Titans

The Time 100 list of influential people is an eclectic list which includes: The Dalai Lama, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, George W. Bush, Lance Armstrong, Miley Cyrus, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Herbie Hancock, Bruce Springsteen, Rupert Murdoch, Steve Jobs, Radiohead, Michael Bloomberg, Oprah Winfrey, Robert Downey, Jr. and Andre Agassi, just to name a few.

Find many more photographs of the 2008 Time 100 Gala at PopSugar.

See also:

• For God’s Sake, Rank the TIME 100
• McCain Toasts Clinton, Obama
• VIDEO: Joel Stein’s Time 100 Red Carpet

Robert Downey, Jr.

Lance Armstrong

Tyler Perry

That’s the news about the annual event, the 2008 Time 100 Gala.