Amy Poehler’s Harvard graduation speech

The comedian and actress wants you to remember one thing: Everything you see in movies is real

Topics: Harvard, Celebrity, College, Feminism, Going Viral, Viral Video, Television,

Amy Poehler's Harvard graduation speechAmy Poehler at Harvard's commencement, quoting "Good Will Hunting."

After writing a piece on funny movie quotes to use at college commencements, I was called by an official-sounding person on the telephone and asked what qualities make for a good graduation speaker. I guess because I can recite dialogue from “Good Will Hunting” and “Spider-Man,” I am now an expert on these things.

But I did point to Harvard’s Class Day Committee as having a good track record for picking great speakers. Between Ali G. , Conan O’Brien and Will Ferrell, this Ivy League knows how to keep young adults in their seats and not fidgeting. Graduating students want to witness a living legend, yes, but they also want to be entertained. Too often schools pick someone important or famous without considering whether or not they will be able to translate their years of wisdom and experience into something graduates will absorb. With the assumption that actions speak louder than words, graduation committees often forget that when it comes to speeches, it’s actually the other way around.

Amy Poehler, who spoke at Harvard’s graduation this year, gave a great address. She didn’t try to tell the students of 2011 that the future rests on their shoulders the moment they throw their caps in the air (a terrifying thought to someone leaving school without a job lined up), or that she had any magic advice that was going to apply to every one of the people listening in the audience. In fact, when she tried to talk about “the recent tensions between oil traders and regulators of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission” she could barely get through the sentence without cracking up.

Instead, Amy Poehler did what she does best, which is to be funny and sincere at the same time.

If there’s one thing to take away from Amy’s speech, it’s this: “You can’t do it alone; be open to collaboration. Other people’s ideas are much better than your own.” (How many Harvard grads do you think have been told that in their lives?) But it’s not a bad thing, as she says, “That should make you feel less scared, and less alone.”

So, teamwork: advice that is practical, earnest and isn’t some vague metaphor involving “the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all.”

Also, she totally stole my “Good Will Hunting” idea. But that’s OK, Amy. I also believe everything in movies is real.

Drew Grant

Drew Grant is a staff writer for Salon. Follow her on Twitter at @videodrew.

Next Article

Featured Slide Shows

Gripping photos: The people of the Turkey protests (slideshow)

close X
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Thumbnails
  • Fullscreen
  • 1 of 11
  • The protests take on a festive element as police forces move out of the park and square. Wearing a gas mask, this young man dances to traditional Turkish music in front of Taksim Square’s Ataturk Monument.

  • In Gezi Park since March 31st, this protester, originally caught off-guard by the Government’s teargas and water cannons, went out and bought a Russian army mask from WWII, preparing for what was to come.

  • This rambunctious boy seems to be enjoying the chaos. After taking this picture he threw a stone at the already destroyed building in the background.

  • Forming a line, the police face off directly with protesters in Taksim Square. After a while, they retreated and there was a general cheer – a back-and-forth dance that has been common since the beginning of this protest.

  • An elderly woman in Gezi Park reads the news. The tent community occupying the park was violently destroyed on June 16th.

  • Many different groups had set up booths to promote their cause in Taksim Square and Gezi Park. Standing in front of one, this man waves his flag while posing with conviction.

  • Many home-remedies are used to minimize the effects of tear gas. This woman has put a milky solution on her face, removing her mask after the tear gas dissipated. Before sunrise, the police came again for another round of teargasing.

  • People capitalize on the uprising -- selling flags, beer, gas masks, sky lanterns and spray paint to name just a few of the popular items.

  • On Monday morning, June 11, the police execute a strong offensive. Many plain-clothed police officers, like the ones seen here, clash with protesters in the side streets away from the main stand-off in Taksim.

  • The authorities seem to be most aggressive in the night, pushing protesters away from the square and park. After being teargassed this young woman catches her breath with other protesters on Siraselviler Street.

  • Recent Slide Shows

  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Thumbnails
  • Fullscreen
  • 1 of 11

Comments

8 Comments

Comment Preview

Your name will appear as username ( settings | log out )

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href=""> <b> <em> <strong> <i> <blockquote>