‘Anatomy’ class

Much attention was focused, and rightly so, on Sunday’s “Desperate Housewives” season finale. But the show’s leadout, ABC’s hospital drama “Grey’s Anatomy,” earned some very impressive numbers – and also had some surprises up its finale sleeve.

“Anatomy,” leading out of “Housewives” and its 30 million viewers, averaged 23 million viewers – beating its CBS/NBC competition, combined, by 4 million viewers from 10 to 11 p.m. It also notched ABC’s best timeslot numbers in total viewers in over five years, and packed a surprise punch at the very end, when it was revealed that Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) has a wife – much to the shock/consternation of main sqeeze Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo).

It’s easy to assume that “Anatomy” scored such big numbers because of its “Housewives” lead-in, and that might be partly true. But keep in mind all those 8:30 p.m. Thursday shows on NBC that failed to hold their significant “Friends” lead-in audience – “The Single Guy,” “Union Square,” “Jesse,” “Cursed” and “Inside Schwartz.”

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A.J. Hammer, Dave Price, Bill Hemmer, Sam Champion, Ian O’Malley and others have joined the honorary committee for “The Hula-Balolla Party,” a fundraising effort for Birch Family Camp (for kids and families affected by HIV/AIDS). The party unfolds June 2 (7:30 p.m.) at Drive In Studios (W. 18th).

Last, but not least:

* Tomorrow: Ch. 7 producer Jeelu Billimoria honored with a Teenangels Award for her work on the station’s “Protect Our Children” series.

* Katherine O’Hearn is the new executive producer of ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos.”

* Stars and their swag: Barbara Walters, Tyra Banks and Susan Lucci gifted with goodies at the On 3 Productions gift lounge at last Friday’s Daytime Emmys.

* Discovery Channel’s “Voyage to the Planets and Beyond” out on DVD today (BBC Video).

* Longest outgoing voice mail message: Kim Kottler (Telepictures). Forty seconds. Bring a good book.