Forrest Gump Comes to Town

In a world where division and difference seem to be the defining characteristics of life, finding agreement can sometimes be a daunting task.

Every now and then, however, one figure breaks through dark clouds of discord — and we believe that Harvard has found one of these individuals in its choice for the Class of 2023’s Commencement speaker. A man so beloved that he has acquired the nickname “America’s Dad,” a man so free from controversy that he was named the nation’s most trusted person in 2013, and a genuine charmer that anyone would be proud to bring home to mom and dad: We couldn’t be happier about the Commencement speaker selection of Tom Hanks.

But Forrest Gump is not just a familiar face from the silver screen. He is undeniably a master of his craft, having won two Oscars, six primetime Emmys, five Golden Globes, and 81 other awards for film and television, totaling 94 wins out of 210 nominations, not to mention his accolades from the French Legion of Honor and the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts — plus, of course, his Presidential Medal of Freedom. For a man so decorated for his abilities to deceive audiences into believing his characters are real, Hanks’s near-universal trustworthiness in real life gives us hope that he will inject some much needed veritas into our increasingly fractured reality.

Captain Phillips will also be a refreshing face at an event so often dominated by speakers from the world of business, politics, or academia. While these other distinguished speakers are certainly important, we also must acknowledge that the Commencement address is delivered to the entire Class of 2023, not just students wishing to enter these traditionally Crimson-saturated fields. An address from Hanks to the Class of 2023 represents the true diversity of interests contained within that graduating class, and we hope it will spark the creativity latent within all students — even those not seeking to enter the world of entertainment.

Although Hollywood is often riddled with controversies, we can find a celebrity to emulate in Tom Hanks. Time and time again, when Hanks makes headlines, he is featured for supporting veterans, advocating for AIDS research, or even selling his car for charity.

In recent years, Hanks’ biggest splash in the news occurred when he was one of the first celebrities to test positive for Covid-19, ushering us into a whirlwind era of fear, darkness, and uncertainty. We can think of no better person to speak to the class that was kicked off of campus in 2020, went through online school in 2021, and was only just able to return to a new “normal” in 2022. Woody led us into the pandemic; how poetic is it that he will be the one to lead us out.

Life is like a box of chocolates, and after swallowing so many bitter confections, the Class of 2023 has finally stumbled on a sweet one. We’re glad Tom Hanks is the one they’re gonna get.

This staff editorial solely represents the majority view of The Crimson Editorial Board. It is the product of discussions at regular Editorial Board meetings. In order to ensure the impartiality of our journalism, Crimson editors who choose to opine and vote at these meetings are not involved in the reporting of articles on similar topics.

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