Harvard University was once again home to celebrities, media, and a whole lot of students in drag when Hasty Pudding Theatricals presented its Man and Woman of the Year Awards last week.
Some 300 guests landed tickets to an award presentation for Justin Timberlake on Friday, which included a roast and the premiere of the Hasty Pudding show “Commie Dearest” at the New College Theater and its first-ever after-party. “By the end of the week, people were trying to scalp tickets for $900 on Craigslist,” said Talisa Friedman, a Harvard undergraduate student and the event coordinator for the awards. The proceedings also included a parade and roast for Woman of the Year recipient Anne Hathaway on January 28.
Tickets to the Hasty Pudding events are becoming more sought after by national and international media outlets each year. Given the popularity of this year's recipients, press credential requests spiked, with more than 80 outlets seeking access, and only 35 receiving it.
Hasty Pudding, a student organization, began planning over the summer, putting together a schedule and working out sponsorship deals with local restaurants and businesses, despite the fact that the recipients wouldn’t be voted on until January. As is the case with most student organizations, the budget was slim.
The group relies on advertising barters and sponsorships, which this year included deals with Red Bull, the Charles Hotel, and Club Oberon at the American Repertory Theatre, the after-party venue. “We got lucky this year,” said Friedman, a senior English major and aspiring actress who took over the event coordinator position after working as press manager the three previous years. “[The after-party] is usually a gathering at our clubhouse, and the actual Man of the Year doesn’t attend.”
Given the lack of budget, the party’s look was simple, playing off Oberon’s red curtains with white rose centerpieces and dramatic lighting. The music was provided by DJ Samson Kohanski and Hasty Pudding’s own band, and guests nibbled on Timberlake cupcakes by the Harvard Square outpost of Sweet.
The biggest concern, however, was safety. “Justin is a higher profile celebrity than we’ve had in the past, in terms of his security,” Friedman said. “I spent Thursday going around and figuring out back exits to all the restaurants he visited.” To ensure a smooth and safe event, Hasty Pudding worked with Harvard University police and the Cambridge Police Department, along with Timberlake’s own security team.
The goal of the awards, according to Friedman, is to get a behind-the-scenes look at how the entertainment industry really works. “It’s very cool for us to bring in accomplished people in the entertainment industry, because a lot of H.P.T. members would like to go on to work in that field in some way or another, so it’s a great learning experience for us and really gives insight into what their lives are like and what the business is like.” Past recipients include Tom Cruise, Diane Keaton, and Sarah Jessica Parker.
