'Poon Bored, Laughs Off Tufts Challenge

Hollywood's latest attempt to publicize an actress through the Lampoon's annual "worst" list ran aground yesterday, when Lampy President Robert C. Benchley Jr. '43 laughed off a Coast-provoked Tufts College challenge to a public debate on the merits of Veronica Lake.

Brainchild of Miss Lake's press agent, Bernie Kamins, who formerly handled Harvard news for a metropolitan Boston daily, the Tufts challenge, issued by Campus Mayor Jim Phillips, proclaimed Veronica "the ideal of American womanhood."

Jumbos Threaten Picket Line

"Where the heck does the Lampoon get off calling our girl the worst discovery of the year?" declared the statement. "If were don't win, we'll parade in front of the Lampoon office in barrels."

Kamins had wired the CRIMSON to bear the torch in behalf of his protegee, the petite cinema siren, whose optic-concealing hairdo has caused more barbers to close shop than the virtuosity of the celebrated gentleman of Seville.

Obviously bored with the over-worked publicity gag. Benchley's only comment was "What is Tufts?", Miss Lake's comment as reported by the United Press, was: "When Robert Benchley said he could get me some wonderful publicity in the Harvard Lampoon, now that his son was editor, I didn't believe it. But he certainly came through." Lampy bestowed Ann Sheridan the distinction of being least likely to succeed, and Hollywood immediately flooded the nation's presses with actress' alleged scathing remarks.

Earlier this year, Harvard's literary magazine, the Advocate, named Miss Sheridan an honorary editor.