Harvard’s Hasty Pudding Theatrical has named “Guardians of the Galaxy” breakout star Chris Pratt as its Man of the Year, it was announced Wednesday.
That makes it a “Parks an Recreation” kind of year for the annual awards, since Amy Poehler was named Woman of the Year for 2015.
“We vehemently deny that the members of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals are obsessed with ‘Parks & Recreation,’” said Jason Hellerstein ’15, President of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals, in a statement. “There is absolutely no basis to the rumors of ritualistic weekly viewings of the show at the Hasty Pudding Clubhouse … Joking aside, Chris Pratt’s recent achievements as an actor are outstanding and we could not be more thrilled to host him and celebrate his talent as only the Pudding can.”
The Man and Woman of the Year Awards are presented annually to performers who have made lasting and impressive contributions to the world of entertainment, and was first established in 1963. Its past recipients include, among others, Clint Eastwood, Tom Cruise, Robert de Niro, Harrison Ford, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Bruce Willis, Justin Timberlake, James Franco, and most recently, Neil Patrick Harris.
The Man of the Year ceremony will take place on Friday, Feb. 6.
The Hasty Pudding Theatricals will host a celebratory roast for the actor and present him with his Pudding Pot at Farkas Hall, the Hasty Pudding’s home in Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, since 1888.
Pratt is coming off of playing Star-Lord in Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” and will next be seen in “Jurassic World.” NBC is currently airing the seventh and final season of “Parks and Recreation.”