After passing the controversial furlough budget extender last night, Assembly members from both sides of the aisle gathered with former colleagues for a little R-n-R in the form of the annual reunions known as the Pilots and Rudders dinners.

(For the uninitiated, the Pilots Association is open to Assembly members who have won five elections. The Rudders is for members too junior to get into the Pilots. And in case you’re worried that senators are left out of this fun, the Senate has its own organization known as the Senate Club).

The Rudders met at the Albany Room for festivities that included (as per usual) Karaoke. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver stopped by, but did not, unlike in years past, belt out any tunes. (He does a mean “Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog,” I’m told).

The highlight of the Rudders event was a bulletin board that featured vintage photos of members from back when they were in high school. (No, I don’t have pictures; sorry).

In keeping with the high school theme, Assemblyman Lou Tobacco was crowned “prom king,” and his Staten Island colleague, Matt Titone, was “prom queen.” Titone told me he, Crystal Peoples and Inez Barron did a Karaoke number together: Tony Orlando & Dawn’s “Knock Three Times.”

Silver also attended the Pilots dinner at the Franklin Plaza where Assemblyman Dick Gottfried received a pin to commemorate his 40 (!) years of public services.

Four past Assembly minority leaders plus current leader, Brian Kolb, were on hand. (Clarence D. “Rapp” Rappleyea, Tom Reynolds, Charlie Nesbitt, John Faso are the others; the only one missing was Assemblyman Jim Tedisco, who lost both his leadership post and his special election bid in NY-20).

In keeping with tradition, there was considerable good-natured ribbing of this year’s Pilot of the Year, Assemblywoman Nancy Calhoun, an upstate Republican. An attendee said Silver read through the bio of Calhoun, who has been in the minority since 1990, during his remarks and then joked: “It’s nice to meet you.”

Another Pilots/Rudders tradition is party favors. Assemblywoman Ginny Fields, who chaired the Rudders event, is giving out gold Assembly pins. No word on the Pilots favor yet.

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