Lampoon Gives Award To Crystal

Billy Crystal dropped by the campus yesterday afternoon to receive the Harvard Lampoon's Elmer Award--and brought his bag of jokes with him.

"They issue this award for somebody who says and does stupid things," said Crystal in accepting the award for excellence in comedy.

"Maybe Dan Quayle should have been the recipient," he joked.

Crystal's appearance was delayed about 45 minutes when Theodore P. Klupinski '95 fell from a fire escape on the third floor of Claverly Hall. (See related stories.)

After the tumult from the accident cleared, Crystal emerged from the Lampoon castle and received a plaque and a key to city from the Lampoon editors.

The Lampoon decided not to go ahead with a planned humorous pro- gram because of the accident, said LampoonNarthex Stephen G. Lookner '93.

"We decided to cut out the planned partintended to be humorous because it didn't seemappropriate to the members of the staff, thecrowd, or to Billy Crystal," Lookner said lastnight.

But Lookner said his organization went aheadwith the brief presentation and let Crystal takequestions from the crowd because it was so hard tofor Crystal to take time out of his schedule tovisit the Lampoon.

Crystal first told the crowd that he hoped"everything works out" for Klupinski. He thenthanked the Lampoon for the award.

"The level of humor at the Harvard Lampoon overthe years has really been low, and for me to be apart of it means a great deal to me," Crystalsaid.

Crystal entertained the crowd of hundreds witheverything from his trademark "You Look Marvelous"to jabs at the Republican party.

He drew cheers from many of the students whenhe said he "would like to see Clinton win theelection."

And when asked what his favorite vegetable was,he curtly responded "Marilyn Quayle."

In an interview later with The Crimson, thecomedic genius assessed some of today's topentertainers. While he said Robin Williams ispresently the best stand-up performer, with SteveMartin a close second, he pointed to one talk showhost as the best in the late night field.

"David Letterman undoubtedly has the best showout there on TV," Crystal said.

Asked if he would like to teach at Harvard likefellow Hollywood star Spike Lee, Crystal respondedthat he didn't know what he would teach.

But he added that when his next movie comesout, "I'm going to ask everyone to stay home onRosh Hashana." He was referring to Lee's requestthat Black people skip work and school to attendthe upcoming opening of his film, "Malcolm X."

The Lampoon last presented the award to JohnCleese in 1990. In previous years, the award hasgone to Bill Cosby, Robin Williams and JohnCandy

"We decided to cut out the planned partintended to be humorous because it didn't seemappropriate to the members of the staff, thecrowd, or to Billy Crystal," Lookner said lastnight.

But Lookner said his organization went aheadwith the brief presentation and let Crystal takequestions from the crowd because it was so hard tofor Crystal to take time out of his schedule tovisit the Lampoon.

Crystal first told the crowd that he hoped"everything works out" for Klupinski. He thenthanked the Lampoon for the award.

"The level of humor at the Harvard Lampoon overthe years has really been low, and for me to be apart of it means a great deal to me," Crystalsaid.

Crystal entertained the crowd of hundreds witheverything from his trademark "You Look Marvelous"to jabs at the Republican party.

He drew cheers from many of the students whenhe said he "would like to see Clinton win theelection."

And when asked what his favorite vegetable was,he curtly responded "Marilyn Quayle."

In an interview later with The Crimson, thecomedic genius assessed some of today's topentertainers. While he said Robin Williams ispresently the best stand-up performer, with SteveMartin a close second, he pointed to one talk showhost as the best in the late night field.

"David Letterman undoubtedly has the best showout there on TV," Crystal said.

Asked if he would like to teach at Harvard likefellow Hollywood star Spike Lee, Crystal respondedthat he didn't know what he would teach.

But he added that when his next movie comesout, "I'm going to ask everyone to stay home onRosh Hashana." He was referring to Lee's requestthat Black people skip work and school to attendthe upcoming opening of his film, "Malcolm X."

The Lampoon last presented the award to JohnCleese in 1990. In previous years, the award hasgone to Bill Cosby, Robin Williams and JohnCandy