The Harvard Lampoon Award Is Most Likely A Serious One
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ABC News
Most of you were questioning about the seriousness of this award. There have been a few “joke” awards “rewarded” to Paris Hilton (such as Razzie Award), but she never accepted them.
I can almost confirm that the award she will receive from Harvard Lampoon is a real one. It is also backed by Regent Releasing. They mentioned it in their press release.
Second, TMZ reported today that Scarlett Johansson and Julia Roberts have also won the same award, and they were qualified as honorees.
Harvard Lampoon may be a satire magazine or whatever it is, but their list of honorary members include Adam Sandler, Bill Cosby, Jon Stewart, Sarah Silverman and other big stars. All of them are comedians. For some reason, I didn’t find Scarlett Johansson and Julia Roberts.
I think I’ve said in the past that Paris (and Nicole Richie) deserves an award for her role in the Simple Life, so I’m thinking maybe she was chosen for this reason (not sure). She’s also playing a comedy role in the Hottie and the Nottie.
Anyhow, I think if this were a joke, she wouldn’t be going to Harvard and accepting the award.
Posted: January 14th, 2008
Comments:
12
From: david
Time: January 14, 2008, 11:43 am
I saw the TMZ thing, which looked as confused as when people simply picked up her the rumor of her being dropped from her label. That rumor wasn’t true, but just continued to spread. Some of the facts on TMZ seemed wrong. Anyway, big ups and congrats to her.
(It is strange that she, herself, and admin, have called many of her prior roles “practice.” Paris actually shunned one of her premieres because she didn’t like the film (Bottom’s?? Pledge This??) too stupid or too much nudity/skin, or something like that. More power to Paris, but if it’s a theatrical award, it’s hard to see her filmography justifying an award yet. I don’t think Scarlett exactly deserved it last year, but she does have a golden globe. Hopefully, Paris goes on to a long and amazing film career, but Pledge This, Bottoms Up, and Hillz don’t seem like award winners, maybe Hottie is. (Maybe Paris is in on the joke)
Btw, I’ve pretty much stopped going to TMZ. Their tv show is awful, I’ve only seen it about 3 times in the two months, but each time they had a special (really embarass) Paris clip. Also, the website, which I only started going to when they actually were the only ones reporting fairly on Paris’ jail sentence has become awful. In the last month or so they’ve become as big a Paris hater as one can get. They called her a “trannycontinental” instead of transcontinental, a “hocialite” instead of a “socialite” and on and on. Also noticed that today they had two lines buried amongst other stories about Paris’ award, but devoted a separate large story to Paris falling out of a SUV. Admittedly, she’s been out every night for months, even when she was promoting her perfume. However, they could’ve played up the award, instead they played up her “difficulty” exiting a SUV after a night out. It makes me appreciate this site even more. Congrats again admin on the 1 yr anny.
From: david
Time: January 14, 2008, 11:48 am
Also, admin, I think the reason that you didn’t find Scarlett and Julia is that they received the Hasty Pudding award, which I still believe is different than the Harvard Lampoon. That was one of the facts that I think TMZ got wrong. Of course, I could also be wrong. Either way, congrats to Paris.
From: juju
Time: January 14, 2008, 1:00 pm
david,
i think you’re right about tmz.
harvey levin got most of the legalissues right in re pairs this past summer – one of the few media outlets in the country to do so. but since then, it’s all down hill. they take every opportunity to spin anything paris does in a way to embarass her. even when she’s out for dinner with family members, tmz will make up a way to turn that negative.
paris isn’t acting as immature as she did in the past, but the media is used to reporting on her negatively so now they have to work harder to spin things or just make things up.
From: Dawn
Time: January 14, 2008, 1:11 pm
I think we are talking about the “Woman of the Year” award from Hasty Pudding. If Paris goes to Harvard, that’s what she is getting.
If this is legit, congratulations to Paris. If it is a hoax, then a pox on both their houses – Hasty Pudding and Lampoon. ButI kinda think it’s legit.
From: kevin
Time: January 14, 2008, 3:44 pm
Hmmm, I’m still not sure but if it’s legit than awesome for Paris. I hope this motivates her to do more stuff!
Glad to hear “Hottie” is getting some promotions, I haven’t seen any commercials on tv or at the movies or anywhere else and it’s coming out super soon too!
From: david
Time: January 14, 2008, 4:18 pm
Admin,
I guess we’ll have to wait and see. (I work with a lot of engineers, so maybe I’ve become too analytical.) Anyway, the abc clip is just an example of bad journalism. I almost guarantee that abc simply saw the story somewhere else and reported the story, including its errors. (Similar to the associated press and the drunk elephant story)
The abc story above is poor b/c:
1) it again states the Harvard Lampoon as the awarding party and not hasty pudding (If it’s real and from the Lampoon, isn’t it awfully coincidental of the Lampoon to give out such a similar award in name and time as Pudding? However, if it’s the pudding award, why no announcement/confirmation from them? Hasty Pudding has not even announced the winners yet. Why no mention of the man of the year? They’re normally announced together.
2) it’s not an award from Harvard University, but rather, a student group at Harvard, and the pudding winner does not typically address the student body. The pudding winner gets a parade and is roasted by the pudding club.
3) Where’s the confirmation by the Harvard Lampoon? Not that it would mean much from these jokers, but have they actually issued a press release, etc. Given the time of Paris’ speech etc. Also, don’t they make people honorary members and not person (woman) of the year. It’s probably just another coincidence that the award this year has the same name as the pudding award. If it’s the woman of the year, why no announcement of it’s previous winners or a statement that this is the first year/first winner of this award. Finally, I believe that the honorary members tour the Lampoon home as opposed to giving a speech to the student body.
etc.
I guess this concerns me b/c I would just feel truly bad for Paris if this is fake. She seems to be trying hard and is not catching many breaks, hello david letterman, scream awards etc. This award seems clearly done by the Harvard Lampoon and not Hasty Pudding. Now, the Lampoon award could be real and also a true honor. Maybe it is a coincidence with the pudding award b/c of Hottie’s release date and she is really going to join the likes of Bill Cosby and Adam Sandler who have been previously honored by Lampoon. I hope so.
Alternatively, maybe the Lampoon knew that she’d be in Boston to promote Hottie and made it up? Who knows? Right now, we’ll just have to wait a bit for confirmation.
In any event, the stories so far seem mixed up and inconclusive. Moreover, the reports keep mixing this award from the Lampoon with the Hasty Pudding award. that tells me that many news orgs are just regurgitating facts/non-facts from prior stories, including abc news.
Maybe the Lampoon is giving out an award to mock the pudding winner and Paris is in on the joke? That might get Paris publicity for her movie, but not good pub (hard to sell Paris in a movie when she’s mocking a “distinguished” actress. The media, especially the TMZ and talk show types would have a field day mocking Paris in return.) Anyway, sorry to write so much, but I’m really pulling for Paris and hope it’s a real award and that they treat her well.
The Lampoon has pulled some very elaborate hoaxes in the past. (see the link below) I just googled pudding and lampoon quickly and the two links below come up at the top.
http://guestofaguest.com/2008/01/10/is-the-lampoon-lampooning-us/
This is the actual quote from that link, which was the second link on google:
“Is The Lampoon Lampooning Us?
SUPRISE January 10, 2008 @ 07:03:03 pm
Yesterday the Exhibitionist hinted that Paris Hilton may be the recipient of the Harvard University Hasty Pudding Theatrical’s Woman of the Year Award. The basis of their tip was a supposed call from a member of the Harvard Lampoon.
A Harvard Lampoon staffer called in to tell us that Paris is coming to make a special announcement on Feb. 6. He wouldn’t say what that announcement will be, only that she’s not getting the Hasty Pudding Award, as far as he knows.
The Lampoon, which counts Conan O’Brien as an alum, is known for its practical jokes, so its hard to tell what angle the staffer was trying to play. Was he just pulling Geoff Edger’s leg in hopes that he might put up a post about it?”
This came up as an example of a prior lampoon prank, which was pretty elaborate:
http://www.ivygateblog.com/blog/2007/02/lampoon_preys_on_mass_gullibility_again.html
From: admin
Time: January 14, 2008, 7:03 pm
david,
Thanks for your comments. And I agree, TMZ isn’t as good as it used to be. They’re now completely bias and hateful. Plus, their articles about Paris are now garbage stuff.
About the award, I think it’s better to wait and see. I’m not sure if it’s a Harvard Lampoon or Hasty Pudding award. I don’t even know for what exactly she’s being rewarded.
However, I trust Regent Releasing because they’re associated with Paris through “Hottie”. And I think it wouldn’t be a good idea to fool Paris and embarrass her in the front of the public. Her agents should do their job to avoid this from happening. Plus, the Harvard group would be wasting her time. It would be best not to play jokes with Paris.
Access Hollywood contacted Harvard Lampoon and this is what they reported: “[Harvard Lampoon] could neither confirm or deny reports of Paris’ award.”
http://www.accesshollywood.com/article/8032/Paris-Hilton-Named-and
From: Jen
Time: January 14, 2008, 7:30 pm
This award seems to be real. Keith Olberman announced it tonight on MSNBC.
Of course, everyone tries to take things away from Paris, so they showed her slipping on one of her high heels. And they announced “Paris falls down on her way to Harvard”.
These people are relentless.
Notice how a “controversy” is almost always created by others – rarely by Paris herself.
People invade her privacy or behave just really hateful, and then Paris gets the blame.
And yes, you are correct. TMZ is getting worse every day. They make mountains out of molehills when it comes to Paris.
In fact, they try to make her an offender over a word or some action other celebs get away with a thousand times. Or, worse yet, the make things up.
BUT Paris will indeed survive and thrive.
From: juju
Time: January 14, 2008, 9:32 pm
i’m just going to wait and see, I hope ths is legit, but right now, my gut says it’s a hoax. paris is everybody’s go-to punching bag and those who do this never suffer any consequences. quite the contrary, if they punk paris they will receive standing-ovations for having done so.
again, no deterrent for media not to lie or regurgitate gossip from other sources without ever fact-checking. also no deterrent for any group to punk paris because the public will eat it up.
From: david
Time: January 15, 2008, 8:32 am
Last one, a friend of mine who went to harvard told me that there are, in fact, two awards. The Hasty Pudding and the Lampoon. the hasty goes to a “distinguished” actor and the Lampoon goes to a person “who’s been bad.” It’s a bit of a satire of the hasty. He said that the Partridge family kid had once won it. (Danny bonaduce) It was on vh-1. (I didn’t even know he had a reality show) Anyway, Paris must know about it and be ok with it, especially if Regent is endorsing it through a press release. No more from me on this.
From: Sandra
Time: February 7, 2008, 5:42 am
I came across this board while researching the story for our morning show and the answer is NO. It is NOT a ‘real’ Woman of the Year award from Harvard.
The Lampoon is giving Paris their version of the Razzie: a LAMPOON woman of the year. It’s the Harvard funny guys making fun of the Harvard theatre guys with Paris as the punch line.
Before you get your panties in a bunch, keep in mind that there have been many Lampoon awards given to many other very distinguished people: Winston Churchill and John Cleese included. Hopefully those chaps knew they were being poked fun of…Paris obviously did not (bless her heart).
From: admin
Time: February 7, 2008, 10:46 am
Hi Sandra,
This article was written almost month ago. We now understand what it really represents. I think Paris is accepting it because she doesn’t take herself very seriously (sometimes).
I’m not sure if she’s aware of it, but I guess she’s just having fun and generating some buzz for “Hottie” at the same time.
Besides, this “Woman of the Year” award doesn’t seem to represent anything bad. Everything’s ok!
