"Almanac" is the go-to place for serious talk about Minnesota politics. So its 25th anniversary party would, naturally, be all about hair.

The celebration, Thursday night at Pantages, featured a tribute to co-host Cathy Wurzer's ever-changing hairstyles, an appearance by Kevyn Burger in a dirty wig (part of a routine in which she appeared in drag) and a few jokes about contributor Hy Berman's lack of hair. But the highlight of the evening came when former co-host Jan Smaby spoke about her battle with breast cancer, then removed her wig and tossed it to her former co-host Eric Eskula and revealed a beautiful, bald scalp. The nearly sold-out audience rose to their feet.

Other highlights: Sen. Amy Klobuchar and her father, former Strib columnist Jim Klobuchar, exchanging jokes and memories; Ann Reed's sweet perfomance of her 1992 song, "A Hole in the Day"; banter between ex-governors Al Quie and Wendell Anderson and an appearance by correspondent Mary Lahammer's daughter, who is 4 ("Four and a half!" she said, correcting her mother).