Harvard’s flagship student theater company Hasty Pudding Theatricals hosted its annual Man of the Year roast. The event, paired with the group’s Woman of the Year parade next week, is one of the biggest pop culture events to occur in Cambridge, drawing celebrities like Cynthia Erivo, Jon Hamm, and Jennifer Coolidge in recent years. The awards recognize those “who have made lasting and impressive contributions to the world of entertainment.”
Members of the nation’s oldest theater troupe pulled no punches for this year’s honoree, Michael Keaton, who endured many jokes and “washed up” allegations at his expense throughout a 20-minute roast. Before awarding him with the group’s signature golden pudding pot award, emcees Cate Schwarz and Ellie Tunnell, both Harvard juniors, poked fun at milestones from Keaton’s lengthy career, which includes leading roles in “Batman,” “The Founder” and “Beetlejuice.”
“You reprised the role of Batman in the 2023 adaptation of “The Flash.” I remember that one because ‘the flash’ is also what I like to call the period of time Keaton can stay relevant after any of his movies,” joked Tunnell. Schwarz piled on with “He was in “Much Ado About Nothing,” which is what I like to call Keaton’s career at large.”
Keaton took the jokes in stride. He also played along with several bits thrown his way, including one involving “a villain [he’s] never been able to capture” where he dueled with an Oscar statue (a student dressed in gold spandex) while wearing a Batman costume. Keaton has starred in two films that have won Academy Awards for best picture, “Birdman” and “Spotlight,” but the Best Actor award has evaded him.
Keaton said in a press conference after the roast he had no idea what to expect when he stepped on the stage. The jokes were nothing he wasn’t used to, given his upbringing. “When you come from the family from which I come, trust me, this is nothing. I mean, this is every dinner. You got to be at the top of your game at all times,” Keaton said.
He also said he was impressed by the students and non-students he met during his time visiting Harvard and that he was excited for a new generation of leaders to rise. “I was concerned about our future, and who’s going to run things. These next generations, man, I’m encouraged as hell if this is any indication from these people I hung out with over the last day or so,” said Keaton, who is 74.
Harvard Senior and organizer of Friday’s events Chaelon Simpson said he appreciated Keaton’s kind remarks. “I found those words that he said very inspiring,” Simpson said. “They give me and the rest of the company the strength to keep going on and keep making the best show that we can.”
Simpson and others involved in The Pudding are now tasked with balancing their studies and putting on their new musical “Salooney Tunes” (which premiered Friday) eight times a week. The group’s 177th production is a satirical take on westerns, featuring characters with names like “Robin Yablind” and “Bart Ender.” Writers of the book and music are all current Harvard students.
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