A Deng Good Video

As our readers in the class of 2013 know, the race for Class Marshal is intense. Candidates from across the campus have taken to creative methods to win the votes for the position: Facebook events, Facebook posts, and Facebook messages all come to mind.

But in the world of Class Marshal campaigning, Jim Deng wins.

Deng, a senior offensive lineman for Harvard football, took to the dining halls and locker rooms to film his campaign video, along with the help of some of his teammates.

Yes, the concept seems to have been developed on a late weekend night at the Kong. Sure, the entire premise of the video (a Bollywood ad for Deng, described as “One Large Asian”) makes absolutely no sense. But the video is really freakin’ funny.

Like last spring’s Call Me Maybe craze with Harvard baseball, part of Deng’s campaign appeal is just how terrible the choreography is throughout. But the video also gives us a few hilarious moments that everyone on campus (save the seven or eight people that have blown up my inbox this morning with solicitations for their vote) can enjoy, including:

1. Deng hugging strangers. Everyone loves a man who randomly hugs strangers.

2. The comically bad videography. Whoever was filming at the 27 second mark, take your hand out of the frame please.

3. The shirtless, helmet-rocking Deng may—and probably should—surpass Jack Colton’s snooze in the back of the Call-Me-Maybe van as Harvard’s viral moment of the year.

The faux-violence scene could definitely use some work, but I’ve watched it about five times now and I still haven’t stopped laughing.

Plus, let’s be real: the primary responsibility of the Class Marshal is to help run senior week. And what happens during senior week? A lot of strangers hugging/high-fiving/pointing at strangers. Deng seems to have all of that down.