NPR has an article up about J.K. Rowling's recent commencement address for Harvard graduates. According to report, everything went extremely well--Rowling was funny, the graduates were touched, and (for once) the crowd of guests probably didn't spend the entire time discreetly checking watches.

However, not everyone thought listening to a speech by one of the world's best-selling authors was worth their time. The NPR article includes a quote from computer science major Kevin Bombino: "I think we could have done better... You know, we're Harvard. We're like the most prominent national institution. And I think we should be entitled to... we should be able to get anyone. And in my opinion, we're settling here."

Senior Andy Vaz found Rowling wanting, too: "It's definitely the 'A' list, and I wouldn't ever associate J.K. Rowling with the people on that list.... From the moment we walk through the gates of Harvard Yard, they constantly emphasize that we are the leaders of tomorrow. They should have picked a leader to speak at commencement. Not a children's writer. What does that say to the class of 2008? Are we the joke class?"

Charming!

You'd think all that Ivy League education would have taught these people when it would be smart to keep their mouths shut to avoid coming off like self-satisfied tools with vastly overinflated senses of entitlement... but apparently you'd be wrong.

Labels: J.K. Rowling