Kerry Washington Is Hasty Pudding’s Woman of the Year 2016
Kerry Washington Photo by Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com
The 2016 recipient of the Hasty Pudding’s Woman of the Year award is a bit scandalous–for all the right reasons.
Harvard’s Hasty Pudding Theatricals–the country’s longest running theater organization–announced on Wednesday morning that Scandal star Kerry Washington will be receiving the honor this year.
The Golden Globe nominated actress will be heading to Harvard to accept the honor on Thursday, January 28.
Scandal on campus!! @kerrywashington is the #HastyPudding's 2016 Woman of the Year. Ceremony on 1/28 at #Harvard pic.twitter.com/H9mETr618t
— The Hasty Pudding (@HastyPuddin1770) January 6, 2016
Uh-oh. Here we go… #HastyPudding #Honored So excited!!!! https://t.co/GJ0rphmtKI
— kerry washington (@kerrywashington) January 6, 2016
As per annual tradition, Washington’s visit to the Boston-area will include a parade through Harvard Square accompanied by male Hasty Pudding members dressed in drag. The festivities will also feature a roast by the organization’s players as well as a performance of the group’s latest production That 1770s Show.
Washington joins a pretty awesome group of talented actresses as past honorees include Halle Berry, Meryl Streep, Whoopi Goldberg, and Scarlett Johansson. Last year’s Woman of the Year recipient was none other than former Saturday Night Live star and Massachusetts native Amy Poehler.
Choosing Washington is also a step in the right direction for Hasty Pudding, which has been criticized in the past for a lack of diversity with regards to its annual Man and Woman of the Year selections. Including Washington, only seven African-American entertainers have ever been honored by the organization since the first Woman of the Year award was handed out in 1951.
The 2016 Man of the Year is expected to be announced soon.
