Harvard's Cultural Elite

It SHOULD BE SLIGHTLY EMBARRASSING It to compile a list of Harvard's cultural elite since, of course, none of those putting the list together will be on it. That's typical, though, since we just watch and write about people rather than actually do anything constructive.

On the other hand, we make up the list and take a certain amount of glee in that fact. We can take you off or stick you on and if we were at Newsweek, where they recently listed America's 100 cultural elite, it might even matter.

But the gang at Newsweek did, in a sense, write about themselves when they put together their list. Thirty-three of the people on it are writers, publishers or literary agents, or somehow involved in the publishing world. Some of them write controversial things, such as Robert Bly ("a minor poet" who became a big deal with Iron John) and others merely head up the monoliths of the literary world, such as Rebecca Sinkler at the New York Times Book Review.

Our list follows much the same tack. Some of those on it start up campus controversy; others devote their college careers to supporting the status quo and upholding Harvard's biggest student organizations.

They're the types who either ran things in high school or dominate sections here. Like Dave Aronberg, they never let you forget that they're around, lurking by the checker's table in the dining hall or at the entrance to Sanders before Gen Ed 105.

What's missing from our list? Athletes, largely because they do what they do all the way across the river. And while they may be elite, they aren't really cultural.

Let's face it: At Harvard all of us are part of America's elite. But to be atop that pile, well...that's something special.

DAVE ARONBERG

Outgoing chair of the UC noted for his spasticelocution and political gab. Plans. a run at theFlorida gubernatorial race 2008 en route to theWhite House.

MATT GRENBY

Artsy fartsy turned social butterfly. Emergedfrom reclusive crew-jock status to take over theLampoon and sign on with the elite of the Puddingand the Fly Club.

JESSE FURMAN

Would-be political activist. Bastion of theculturally correct. President of the Perspective.Wrote a cover story on the October Surprise forThe New Republic. Seen donning "Final Clubs Suck"baseball cap despite clubby friends. FutureMcLaughlin Group pundit.

COSTAS PANAGAPOLOUS

Stylish prodigal son of Europower. Catapultedform Foundation advisory committee to Republicannominee as Massachusetts state representative.Also founding father of wannabe culturally elitefrat Delta Kappa Epsilon.

JESSYE LAPENN

Czarina of Take Back the Night and StreetTheater. Good at wearing black.

ELIZABETH CAPUTO

Big political junkie; IOP honcho.

NATOSHA REID

Co-chair student advisory committee to theHarvard Foundation. BSA Kuumba. Women's LeadershipProject Conference. H/R admissions...oops, sorry,we though this was the class marshal ad.

JENDI REITER

Winnigest journalist on campus. Conservative.Very conservative. Curly locks. Has beenrecognized for talents by Rolling Stone andGlamour magazine. Staff writer for the HarvardSalient and The Crimson.

NORM BELLINGHAM

Golden boy. 1988 Olympics gold medal winner intwo-man kayak. Gap pin up model. Porcellian club.Heart throb of the Charles. Started in class of1992--still trying to graduate.

ROB WASINGER

Conservative messianic light source. Has adirect line to God. Peninsula council member. Mr.Blue Square. Former president of AALARM. OperationRESCUE joy-rider.

LAUREN GWIN

Adams House heir to the Tom Lauderdale throne.And officer of the boxing club. Teaches gourmetcooking.

MALCOLM HEINICKE

The Candidate. Business-suited, hornrimmedspectacled schmoozer extraordinaire. Plays thepolitical shell game but also holds ground whenhis convictions are at stake. Known to lapse intoquotes Heavy D.B-1