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In Place of Pomp and Circumstance: Oprah No Graduation Ceremony? You Get Oprah!
(about 4 hours later)
They will not get to share in the memories synonymous with college graduation — the collective tossing of caps, the hugs from friends and the walk across the stage to get their diplomas.They will not get to share in the memories synonymous with college graduation — the collective tossing of caps, the hugs from friends and the walk across the stage to get their diplomas.
But millions of college and high school seniors across the United States, who have had to leave campus during the coronavirus pandemic, will not get short shrift on a commencement speaker.But millions of college and high school seniors across the United States, who have had to leave campus during the coronavirus pandemic, will not get short shrift on a commencement speaker.
They will get Oprah Winfrey, who Facebook said this week will address graduates in a virtual commencement ceremony on May 15.They will get Oprah Winfrey, who Facebook said this week will address graduates in a virtual commencement ceremony on May 15.
“This is a bittersweet time for the Class of 2020,” Marne Levine, a Facebook vice president, wrote on the social media platform on Tuesday. “They are commencing at a time of great uncertainty. But graduating is a tremendous achievement, and worth pausing to celebrate even in these circumstances.”“This is a bittersweet time for the Class of 2020,” Marne Levine, a Facebook vice president, wrote on the social media platform on Tuesday. “They are commencing at a time of great uncertainty. But graduating is a tremendous achievement, and worth pausing to celebrate even in these circumstances.”
The commencement will be broadcast at 2 p.m. Eastern time, or 11 a.m. Pacific time, on Facebook and Instagram, which are part of the same social media company. Graduates will also get Lebron James, whose foundation is organizing a prime time special that will feature musicians, cultural icons, and athletes including Megan Rapinoe, Pharrell Williams, Malala Yousafzai, the Jonas Brothers and Bad Bunny.
It will be a busy season for Ms. Winfrey, 66, who has also agreed to be a virtual commencement speaker for all high schools in Chicago, where she lived for many years and hosted her daytime talk show. “This will be a moment to come together — as one nation — to applaud this rite of passage,” read to a statement by the organizers of “Graduate Together: America Honors the Class of 2020,” which also include Entertainment Industry Foundation and the XQ Institute.
In a statement, Mr. James said he wanted to help create a show that would speak directly to the more than 3 million seniors who will be missing out on a traditional graduation ceremony.
“These kids worked so hard to graduate and what is happening to them is truly unfair,” Mr. James said in a statement to The Associated Press. “I hope we can give them and their families something cool that makes their accomplishment feel special.”
The special will air on May 16. on ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC and on social media.
Ms. Winfrey’s commencement will be broadcast at 2 p.m. Eastern time, or 11 a.m. Pacific time, a day earlier on Facebook and Instagram, which are part of the same social media company.
It will be a busy season of virtual appearances for Ms. Winfrey, 66, who has also agreed to be a virtual commencement speaker for all high schools in Chicago, where she lived for many years and hosted her daytime talk show.
And starting Friday evening, Oprah will be joining hundreds of other celebrities — including Julia Roberts, Quincy Jones, Yo-Yo Ma, Naomi Campbell, Alanis Morissette and President George W. Bush — who will gather online for “The Call to Unite,” a 24-hour charity event to raise money for Covid-19 relief.
Ms. Winfrey is not the only celebrity who has been enlisted to give students a proper send-off.Ms. Winfrey is not the only celebrity who has been enlisted to give students a proper send-off.
Simone Biles, the reigning Olympic gold medalist in the all-around gymnastics competition, will also take part in the Facebook virtual graduation, as will the actresses Awkwafina and Jennifer Garner and the musicians Lil Nas X and Miley Cyrus.Simone Biles, the reigning Olympic gold medalist in the all-around gymnastics competition, will also take part in the Facebook virtual graduation, as will the actresses Awkwafina and Jennifer Garner and the musicians Lil Nas X and Miley Cyrus.
The radio giant iHeartMedia is also choreographing a series of star-studded graduation speech podcasts that it has said will feature Hillary Clinton, Jimmy Fallon, Chelsea Handler and others.The radio giant iHeartMedia is also choreographing a series of star-studded graduation speech podcasts that it has said will feature Hillary Clinton, Jimmy Fallon, Chelsea Handler and others.
Even the Anheuser-Busch-owned beer brand Natural Light is getting involved in the virtual festivities. The brand announced that it would hold a virtual commencement ceremony on May 14, headlined by the billionaire Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, the actress Jane Lynch and the sports commentator Stephen A. Smith.Even the Anheuser-Busch-owned beer brand Natural Light is getting involved in the virtual festivities. The brand announced that it would hold a virtual commencement ceremony on May 14, headlined by the billionaire Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, the actress Jane Lynch and the sports commentator Stephen A. Smith.
Oprah is not the only Chicagoan who has been highly sought as a graduation speaker. So has former President Barack Obama, whom one graduating senior, in a widely shared Twitter post, tried to recruit to give a national commencement address. Oprah is not the only Chicagoan who has been highly sought as a graduation speaker. So has former President Barack Obama, whom one graduating senior, in a widely shared tweet, tried to recruit to give a national commencement address.
It drew nearly 50,000 retweets, but no public response from the former president.
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