Despite a warm invitation from her alma-mater Harvard College, award-winning journalist Soledad O’Brien has turned down the opportunity to be this year’s Class Day Speaker, citing concerns that she was unfit for the occasion, and suggesting that “Cee Lo Green should be Class Day speaker, not me." 

O’Brien, a Harvard graduate and former resident of Cabot house, has had an illustrious career as a correspondent with both CNN and NBC.  She has also been named to  Irish American Magazine's "Top 100 Irish Americans" on two occasions.  But she may be correct in her statement: “Literally none of the things I have done, including winning the Goodermote Humanitarian Award in 2008, can possibly compare with the immense contributions of Cee Lo Green.  I mean, enough with the boring journalists: Let’s bring someone to Harvard who knows how to really rile up the crowd.  Like Cee Lo Green.”

O’Brien added: “I would be remiss not to recommend that Cee Lo Green be the keynote Class Day Speaker.  Have you heard that song ‘Less Than an Hour’?  No?  You’ve only heard ‘Forget You!’?  Well that song is good too.”

First Class Marshal Amy L. Wickers ’13 said that she and the other Marshals were “still excited.”

“While we personally think that Soledad O’Brien has more to offer this year’s senior class than Cee Lo, we are confident that he will be able to share lessons with us that will stay with us our whole lives.”

Wickers added: “We know it will still be better than Cultural Rhythms, so that’s something!”

 Cee Lo Green, who has recently been involved with “The Voice” and songs other than “Forget You!” has expressed interest in being the keynote Class Day Speaker, stating, “I’m sorry, what is Class Day?  It’s not graduation, but it’s similar I guess?”