1. Tom Kenny and Bill Fagerbakke, University of Vermont, 2012
For a class of alumna bear into the Spongebob generation , the prospect of Nickelodeon ’s porous , yellow famous person and his pal , Patrick Star , institutionalise off the class was probably a thrilling one — even if it meant watching the show ’s middle - eld voice actors bantering back and forth on phase . The Kenny / Fagerbakke pair stayed in character for theentire delivery , which conclude with a coxa - hop cover of Vitamin C ’s ( spelled Vitamin S - atomic number 99 - A in the speech , because , you know , maritime puns ) seminal “ Graduation ( Friends Forever ) . ”
Here ’s one choice dyad , rapped by Kenny as Squarepants :
2. Billie Jean King, University of Vermont, 2011
The lawn tennis legendserved up adviceranging from relationships ( “ you never know how you ’re going to bear on another individual ’s life or how they will touch yours ” ) to dealing with press ( “ sensation in animation conform and adapt ” ) . And then , in lawful Billie Jean King form , shepulled out a concealed racket and served up lawn tennis balls too , lob at least 12 into the audience while Elton John ’s “ Philadelphia Freedom ” played on the speakers .
She had explained that Sir Elton wrote the call in her honor earlier ( her friendship with John was a centrepiece of the manner of speaking ) , but did n’t propose any explanation for showing off her unholy forehand stroke by pelting a crowd of about 8000 with lawn tennis balls .
3. Theodor Geisel, Lake Forest College, 1977
“ He touch under his pedantic gown , announcing obstreperously for all to discover that it was ‘ a bathrobe , ’ overstretch out a piece of newspaper publisher from his shirt pouch and flex to the microphone , ” Lake Forest President Emeritus Eugene Hotchkiss IIIrecalled in 2004 . “ And the rest , as they say , is history . ”
Thirteen long time before penning repeated grad gift “ Oh , the place You ’ll Go , ” Dr. Seuss ( who actually was a physician — Lake Forest awarded him a Doctor of Humane Letters degree ) read the Class of ‘ 77a poemhe titled , “ My Uncle Terwilliger on the fine art of Eating Popovers . ” The verse form is about exactly what it sounds like : popover as metaphors for surviving the existent world .
4. Richard T. Jones, University of Maryland, University College, 2011
When the actor who stars in theWhy Did I Get Married?films was charge up to write the showtime address for UMUC , the smart move would ’ve been to in reality write a speech . Instead , Jones stumble through10 minutes of awkward improvisation , punctuated with explosion of inapt silences . “ I had this great speech ready for you guy , ” he says ahead of time on in the address , “ but then they put me behind a bunch of doctors … and they order everything I was locomote to say . So I visualise I ’ll just keep speak until I say something . ”
The bumbling manner of speaking was caught on tape—251,000 thousand view and counting — and for ten minute long on unwieldiness and inadequate on applause , Jones kept talking until he said something .
5. Will Ferrell, Harvard, 2003
Ferrell ’s spoken communication , like several of his classicSaturday Night Livesketches , goofed on then - President of the United States George W. Bush . The formerSNLstar recycle his claim - to - renown impression of Bush ’s Texan nasal twang to read a letter he promised his audience was a “ message from the President of the United States . ”
Ferrell spring from one bit to the next , capping his manner of speaking with a rendition of Kansas ’ “ Dust in the Wind , ” singing , “ Do n’t hang up on , nothing lasts forever but the Harvard alumnus endowment fund . ” At Harvard ’s commencement , Ferrell wasSaturday Night Live ’s cold open , monologue , and melodious guest all in the span of one talking to .
6. Aaron Sorkin, Syracuse University, 2012
The film writer must have love the speech he indite for SU ’s College of Visual and Performing Arts convocation in 1997 . When he devote the Orange’scommencement speech15 years later , not much changed . He regaled the interview with some anecdotes from his previous address — casting “ A Few Good Men ” being one — reasonably much word for word .
Besides revisiting his words wholesale , Sorkin also abstract quotation from his own shows . One tune ( “ It seems to me that more and more we ’ve come to wait less and less from each other , and I cogitate that should change ” ) appeared in the second time of year of both “ The West Wing ” and “ Sports Night , ” and again in the speech . Quote - ception ?
7. Sacha Baron Cohen, Harvard, 2004
The spoken language started with Baron Cohen walking up to the podium sport his theatrical role Ali G ’s stylemark red sweatsuit and beanie . It end withCohen in the handcuffsof a Harvard University Police Department officer ( the stoppage was phoney ) .
Transcripts from Ali G ’s teleprompterinclude faux - gangster slang like , “ U iz clever and quite wing , if u do n’t mind me sayin , ” and “ Normally da only populace - speaking that me does is to 12 multitude . ” Ali G was n’t awarded any honorary level , but it ’s not that Sacha Baron Cohen ask one : the comedian / actor is aCambridge University graduate .
