Brown Cameo Draws Crowd

Hundreds of students gathered outside the Lampoon castle yesterday afternoon to catch a glimpse of the Godfather of Soul, James Brown.

Viewing the scene from across the street, some students said they were convinced that the guest was in fact the famous singer, though the staff of The Harvard Lampoon, a semi-secret Sorrento Square social organization that used to occasionally publish a so-called humor magazine, refused to comment on the event.

The event was typical of the notoriously exclusive Lampoon. The guest of honor appeared briefly in front of the castle to address the crowd and then returned inside for partying with club members.

Though the appearance of the famous soul singer did create some excitement when he wailed the famous “Ow! I feel good,” some students were disappointed that he did not perform.

“It was cool to see James Brown, butit would have been better if he sang,” said Daniel P. Mach ’07.

“It looked like it was a lot more fun for the Lampoon than for anyone else, which is typical of their organization,” he added.

Lampoon staff members danced to James Brown music in the front of the building, wearing black tie attire and smoking cigarettes while prolonging the star’s exit from the castle.

Some students commented on the randomness of the event. “The Lampoon has mastered a very particular brand of public display,” said Austin S. Guest ’03-’06, who viewed the event standing atop an orange traffic barrier. “They have got a lot of people interested in them not being interesting. They don’t care if you’re entertained. I admire that because I don’t have hundreds of people watching me on my porch and they do.”

The festivities also included a demonstration with the “Monster Mutt.” Lampoon president Zachary J. Kanin ’05 ordered the truck to crush eggs, copies of The Crimson, a miniature chair, and finally the supposed throne of the Crimson President, which turned out to be a replica of the valuable antique.

“I flipped out when I saw the monster truck—that was awesome and unexpected,” said Stephen E. Dewey ’07.

Though he did not perform, the singer did address the audience about the importance of education.

“Don’t be a fool—stay in school,” he said.

His praise of education seemed to spark inspiration in the gathered crowd of several hundred.

“I’m especially excited for the fall semester now hearing James Brown’s advice,” Guest said.

The Lampoon has come through with big stars in the past. In 2002, the Lampoon upheld its promise that the rock band The Strokes would visit the castle, drawing a crowd of hundreds between Plympton and Linden Streets.

In 2001, Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood was crowned ‘Best Actor of All Time’ after winning a chicken-wing eating contest in a campus classroom.

—Staff Writer Nicole B. Urken can be reached at urken@fas.harvard.edu.