After announcing last week that Amy Poehler will be Woman of the Year, yet another Parks and Recreation actor—comedian Chris Pratt—will take center stage in Farkas Hall as the Hasty Pudding Man of the Year, the group announced today.
“We vehemently deny that the members of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals are obsessed with Parks and Recreation,” Jason Hellerstein ’15, president of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals, said in a press release. “There is absolutely no basis to the rumors of ritualistic weekly viewings of the show at the Hasty Pudding Clubhouse… Joking aside, Chris Pratt’s recent achievements as an actor are outstanding and we could not be more thrilled to host him and celebrate his talent as only the Pudding can.”
In the last year, Pratt has gone from his supporting role—playing the lovable Andy Dwyer on Parks—to headlining two of the highest-grossing blockbusters of the year—Guardians of the Galaxy and The Lego Movie. He will next appear in Universal’s Jurassic World, scheduled to open in June. According to Entertainment Weekly, the 35-year-old was discovered by Commando actress Rae Dawn Chong while working at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company in Hawaii. He has gained and lost a combined 300 pounds for his roles in Moneyball, Zero Dark Thirty, and The Five-Year Engagement.
The Man of the Year festivities will take place on February 6, when Hasty Pudding Theatricals will host a celebratory roast for the actor. Pratt will be presented with his Pudding Pot at Farkas Hall before Hasty Pudding cast members perform several musical numbers from the group’s 167th production, ¡Oops!... Madrid It Again!
Tickets for the Man of the Year presentation may be obtained by calling the Hasty Pudding box office (617-495-5205).
