We Can Hear The Whining Already: Penn’s Commencement Speaker Is Emeril Lagasse [UPDATE]
![We Can Hear The Whining Already: Penn's Commencement Speaker Is Emeril Lagasse [UPDATE]](http://www.ivygateblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/emeril1.jpg)
IvyGate has learned that Penn's 2008 Commencement speaker will be none other than American presidential candidate Barack Obama. Yay Barack Obama! What a perfect choice.
Haha just kidding. Rumor has it that it's actually teevee's Emeril Lagasse, the raging boozehound chef who has like eight shows on the Food Network. Surely the Penn kids won't whine over this one, just like they didn't when famous actress Jodie Foster spoke in 2006. Way to flex those muscles, Penn!
Oof. Sucks to be you, Penn seniors, if this is the case. Bear in mind, however, that he's still better than the 2007 speaker, James Baker, who was a Republican.
UPDATE: The Daily Pennsylvanian, after IvyGate initially posted the rumor of Emeril Lagasse shortly before 1 a.m. Monday morning (Sunday night? Meh), followed our lead and today reported that the rumor was, in fact, a hoax. Whoever was behind this hoax does not have a great sense of humor, since Emeril Lagasse carries about the same level of celebrity and renown for which Penn will ultimately shell out in its upcoming selection.
Several hours after IvyGate posted the rumor -- as characterized by use of the word "rumor" -- the DP posted the rumor on its website, at the same time rightly indicating that their staunch ethics code puts them above the publishing of these kinds of "rumors": "However, even though IvyGate reported it, you won't see a story with that news in today's DP. When we hear about important events, we make sure the news is credible and seek confirmation before rushing to print." For those that haven't worked at a newspaper, this is, indeed, how our beloved institution of investigative print journalism functions, and oftentimes thrives.
After slogging through the muck for truth today, the DP confirmed with the school that Emeril Lagasse has not been selected as Commencement speaker. The DP was sweet enough to mention that dear old IvyGate reported the rumor first, and bless their kindly young souls for the shoutout. They did, however, err in noting that IvyGate had reported the story "as fact," which, again, contradicts IvyGate's use of the word "rumor."
Nice teamwork, DP! We report, You... go and do newspapery things with it.
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January 28th, 2008 at 1:15 am
seriously. who gives a shit ivygate? i’m sure emeril will be just fine. last year everyone was bitch, bitch, bitch about matthew fox, myself included, and he gave one hell of a commencement speech. if they can entertain us, then i’m satisfied. going to an ivy league school means u get to see politicos and intellectual-blowhards a dime a dozen. for commencement, entertain me. that’s why the conan, borat, etc. type selections are great, and the bill clinton, john kerry, etc. etc. selections suck. i just spent 160k. entertain me minstrel.
to close if emeril gets drunk, slurs his words, and whips up a tasty veal marsala, then mission accomplished.
January 28th, 2008 at 1:47 am
Are you fucking kidding me? If this is true, this has to be the worst commencement speaker I’ve ever heard of. At least Jodie Foster played a 14 year old whore and instigated an assassination attempt. This guy is…a fucking chef. And he drinks. I really hope this isn’t true.
January 28th, 2008 at 1:59 am
I’m fairly confident that Emeril will be better than Baker was.
January 28th, 2008 at 2:59 am
Emeril Lagasse… was Rachel Ray too busy?
January 28th, 2008 at 6:26 am
“Are you fucking kidding me”? Emeril would kick ass as a speaker, way fucking better than Barry “I like to give speeches without saying shit” Obama. Bring him here!! Any truth to the Rumor that Dartmouth has Tony Blair? I’d kill to get him too.
January 28th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Now you’re gonna graduate! Bam!
January 28th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
it’s probably a joke/scam
http://lamp.dailypennsylvanian.com/editorsblog/?p=11
January 28th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
BAM!
January 28th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
BAM!
January 28th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
This has to be bullshit. Wharton 08 I know who you are and I think your humor Spans far and wide.
January 28th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
I’d rather listen to Emeril discuss a gumbo recipe than Obama make his typical douche bag speech about change. Maybe that’s just me though..
January 28th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
We’re all going to hear the same boring speeches from all the candidates, and most other politicians, since this is an election year. I definitely prefer an entertainer who will give a speech you’ll actually remember in 2 years.
January 28th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
read the paper today, mr. emeril will not be our speaker.
January 29th, 2008 at 12:02 am
hmm – does anyone think it’s weird that some of the ivygate editors aren’t even ivy grads? envy-gate. this blog blows. give me something better.
January 29th, 2008 at 12:04 am
hmm – does anyone think it’s weird that some of the ivygate editors aren’t even ivy grads? envy-gate. this blog blows. give me something better.
January 29th, 2008 at 1:44 am
To be fair, the DP received the same email you did–they just rightly chose not to run an unsubstantiated rumor based solely on a dubious pdf. That’s fine for a blog, but not for a newspaper.
January 29th, 2008 at 3:36 am
agreed!
January 29th, 2008 at 10:54 pm
IvyGate’s headline was “Penn’s Commencement Speaker Is Emeril Lagasse” not “Penn’s Commencement Speaker Rumored to be…”. The DP wasn’t off when it reported that IvyGate posted it (at least the headline) as fact.
January 31st, 2008 at 1:58 am
Um, at Columbia this would be a big improvement from the usual…