Future Lawyers Win Ben Stein’s Time

Veritas will get a little dose of comedy today, as the Harvard Law School (HLS) graduating class celebrates its Class Day with guest speaker, noted character actor and political speechwriter Ben Stein.

A graduate of Columbia College and Yale Law School (where he was class valedictorian), Stein is an accomplished scholar of economics, politics and law. He co-founded the Journal of Law and Social Policy during his time in New Haven and has taught mass culture at American University and the University of California at Santa Cruz. Currently, he teaches on libel and ethics at Pepperdine University, where he has worked since 1986.

In the 1970s, Stein worked as a speechwriter and lawyer for the presidential administrations of Richard M. Nixon and Gerald R. Ford. (He is described as “crying uncontrollably” on Nixon’s last day in office in Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein’s book The Final Days.) After leaving the White House, he shifted his focus to writing; Stein has published novels, penned screenplays and worked extensively in opinion journalism. As a conservative political pundit, Stein has written for many major publications, including as an editorial writer for The Wall Street Journal.

But he is perhaps best known for intoning a single word beloved by generations of movie buffs and adolescent anti-authoritarians alike: “Bueller?”

“Students who didn’t recognize him at first immediately knew him when we said he was the Ferris Bueller guy,” law student Anjan Choudhury said, referring to Stein’s much-parodied role as a dull high school economics teacher calling attendance in John Hughes’ classic, Ferris Bueller’s Day OfChoudhury, a third-year law student from Houston, is one of this year’s four HLS class marshals, who are in charge of planning Class Day events. He said graduating students were solicited in the fall for suggestions of Class Day speakers.

“Ben Stein expressed interest early when we approached him,” Choudhury said, noting that final arrangements for the Class Day speaker were finished by late last year. “We were really fortunate, he was one of our first choices.”

Choudbury said Stein’s dual background in entertainment and politics was a major reason for inviting him to address the class.

Some personal bias, however, may have made its way into the mix.

“I have to confess, I was a big fan of ‘Win Ben Stein’s Money,’” Choudhury said, referring to the popular, offbeat Comedy Central game show hosted by Stein.

Indeed, despite his political and academic accomplishments, Stein gained national recognition from his work in comedy.

After being recognized as a talented character actor, Stein turned his monotonous voice and unflappable composure into a career. He has appeared in dozens of films and television shows, as well as starring in advertisements for Clear Eyes eye drops.

In 1997, Stein earned a new generation of fans when he began hosting “Win Ben Stein’s Money.” Stein ostensibly offered his own income as a cash prize, and attempted to beat out the contestants by answering trivia questions before they could. The show’s witty writing and genial co-host Jimmy Kimmel made it a cult hit, and a staple of the then-fledgling cable network’s evening lineup.

Comedy Central tried to convert Stein’s popularity into further ratings success by developing a talk show, 1999’s “Turn Ben Stein On.” But the show—a half-hour interview format with a theme song written and performed by the host himself—was short-lived, and with the end of “Money” in 2002, Stein must now make due without a cable television program bearing his name.

Still, he remains popular. Stein continues to write for various magazines, including his long-running column in The American Spectator. Choudhury said he wasn’t sure what Stein will discuss in his talk, but he is sure the marshals made the right choice.

“Knowing Ben Stein, I know it’s going to be interesting and I know it’s going to be entertaining and I’m sure it will have a message to it,” he said.

—Staff writer Michael M. Grynbaum can be reached at grynbaum@fas.harvard.edu.