Latest news with #Coolidge
Irish Independent
29-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Damian Stack: Kerry GAA's commercial director move shows the business of sport is business
County boards are medium sized enterprises, with substantial in-comings and out-goings Kerryman Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States in the roaring twenties, is purported to have said that the business of America is business. There's some debate as to whether he exactly said those precise words, no matter, they've gone down in history or at least in popular memory A century later, despite a great depression (which Coolidge's policies might have helped bring about), a great recession, and several other blips in between, what Coolidge said (or didn't exactly say) remains very much the case.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
André 3000, Jennifer Coolidge, and Sara Bareilles were all in MA in May. Here's why
André 3000, Jennifer Coolidge and Sara Bareilles were all in Massachusetts this past month. No, Met Gala was not moved to TD Garden at the last second, these three celebrities were actually in the Commonwealth to deliver commencement addresses to the graduating classes of different colleges in Boston. Coolidge, recent star of "A Minecraft Movie," spoke at the graduation ceremony of Emerson College. The man known for the smash hit songs "Hey Ya" and "Ms. Jackson" and the woman behind the musical "Waitress" spoke at Berklee College of Music's graduation ceremony, with the latter two receiving honorary doctorates. Here's what these three superstars had to say. Coolidge, who was born in Boston, gave her commencement address to Emerson College's graduating class of 2025 in a way only she could, with powerful moments of inspiration carried by endearing asides and hilarious jokes. "Don't listen to the people who mess up the real story you've got going," Coolidge said to the graduating students. The actress, who graduated from Emerson in 1985, went on to say that she was so absurdly proud of the Emerson Class of 2025 and then said that they should give themselves the weekend to take a break, extending that break comically through New Years' Eve. "Congratulations, and as Elle Woods, my co-partner in crime, would say, "We did it," Coolidge concluded. André Benjamin, popularly known as André 3000 and for his work as part of the hip-hop duo Outkast, spoke to the Class of 2025 at Berklee College of Music, first talking about his musical beginnings. "You are the futures, and I'm excited to hear how y'all hear things," Benjamin said. Benjamin talked how he formed Outkast with his creative partner Antwan Patton, whose stage name is Big Boi. He said the graduating class should stay delighted in their work, that that passion will help them endure. "Don't worry about what people say, good and bad because the praise can kind of blind you," Benjamin said. "Stay on your path." Benjamin received an honorary doctorate of music from Berklee, making him an honorary member of the Class of 2025. Bareilles, also spoke to the graduating Class of 2025 at Berklee and also received an honorary doctorate of music. "Music and art lifts me and, lots of times, it lifts somebody else too," the songwriter said. "It heals me and maybe somebody else." She instilled her view of the brutal reality of the music industry into that graduating class: constant perilous uncertainty where artistic labor is at risk of being stolen or silenced by artificial intelligence and political demagogues. "And there are so many trap doors, but there are so many trampolines," Bareilles said. "And to find them, you just have to keep telling the truth, whatever that is, your blunt, broken, beautiful, perfectly imperfect human truth." Rin Velasco is a trending reporter. She can be reached at rvelasco@ This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: André 3000, Jennifer Coolidge, and Sara Bareilles were in MA. See why
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jennifer Coolidge delivers heartfelt commencement speech about being a ‘very strange kid'
In true form, Jennifer Coolidge delivered a commencement speech to Emerson College's graduating class of 2025 that was equal parts comedic and heartfelt. The American Pie star, 63, who studied performing arts at the Boston institution in 1985 before dropping out, per returned to her alma mater Sunday to speak to the eager new graduates. 'I'm excited that I'm speaking with some very excited gay students… [and] some less exciting hetero students,' Coolidge began, prompting widespread cheers and laughter from the audience. Reflecting on her long-winding journey from growing up '40 miles down the road' to the current day, the Emmy-winning White Lotus actor declared: 'If you had told the kids that I grew up with that ... one day I would have this opportunity like this, they would've laughed in your face.' She noted that she was a 'very strange kid.' Going on to address the families in attendance, Coolidge said: 'To all the parents and caregivers in the audience that are worried about their kids succeeding, I just want to say: 'Don't.'' She went on to recall a 'traumatizing' childhood memory from elementary school, when she was disqualified from her first-grade class's field day. Although Coolidge finished the competition first, she said she forgot to complete the event's obstacle course. 'I'm excited that I'm speaking with some very excited gay students… [and] some less exciting hetero students'— Jennifer Coolidge speaking at Emerson College's graduation. — Pop Base (@PopBase) May 12, 2025 'And then the teacher came up to me and told me that I didn't win the blue ribbon because I was disqualified,' she remembered. 'And it turns out, I had skipped all of the obstacles. I just ran along the outside.' She said that the moment led to years of relentless teasing from fellow classmates, who had 'pretty thick Boston accents,' which she quipped made everything 'sound so much meaner.' Finally making her way to the moral of the story, Coolidge said: 'Don't listen to the people who mess up the real story that you've got going. 'It really doesn't matter what anyone thinks or says. I mean, when it comes to the obstacle course of your life, you have to find your own path. And you can't perfectly plan it out from the beginning. And part of directing your life is just letting it unfold.' In conclusion, the Legally Blonde star congratulated the graduates, saying: 'As Elle Woods, my co-partner in crime, would say, 'We did it!'' At the ceremony, Coolidge additionally received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jennifer Coolidge Urges Graduates to Believe 'Absurd Possibilities' in Epic Commencement Speech: 'Just Friggin' Go for It'
Jennifer Coolidge delivered the commencement address at Emerson College's 2025 graduation on May 11 The White Lotus actress attended the school before dropping out to pursue a career in Hollywood Coolidge spoke candidly about self-confidence and perseverance, encouraging the graduates to "just friggin' go for it" after finding what truly motivates themJennifer Coolidge knows how to make any room smile. On Sunday, May 11, the actress, 63, delivered the 2025 commencement address for roughly 1,000 graduates at Emerson College. Coolidge studied performing arts at Emerson, which is located in Boston, Mass., before dropping out to pursue a career in Hollywood, per During her speech, Coolidge reflected on her childhood, expressing that she grew up a few miles away from the college as a "very, very strange kid." The White Lotus actress — who made reference to her iconic line from the HBO hit and her loyal gay fan base by joking that she was "excited" to be "speaking with some very excited gay students" — looked back on her last day of first grade, during which her school had a field day with an obstacle course. After her teacher explained how to complete the event, Coolidge said she "ran like hell" and beat the fastest girl in school — or so she thought. "I was so elated that I had won, and to me, it just meant that I was going to get the blue ribbon. And then the teacher came up to me and told me that I didn't win the blue ribbon because I was disqualified," said Coolidge. "And it turns out, I had skipped all the obstacles. I just ran along the outside." Coolidge admitted that the mishap caused her classmates to tease her for years. "I realized I was going to go the rest of my life as a joke. I was so uncomfortable with myself, I began to completely live in my head from that moment on," she explained. After a while, though, the experience caused her to have "insane expectations [for herself] and believe they're going to come true.' Her change in mindset grew even stronger after she saw a magazine that belonged to her mother featuring Grace Kelly and her royal wedding, which made Coolidge dream of becoming the queen of Monaco. "In retrospect, it was the one and only thing I really had going for me. I had this thing inside of me telling me that I could achieve anything, anything, in this world, and there was just nothing to back it up," she said, causing laughter from the crowd. The comedian used this anecdote from her childhood to make her message to the graduates clear. "When you find the thing that you want to do, I really want to highly recommend, just friggin' go for it," she said. "You really have to psych yourself up into believing absurd possibilities, and you have to believe that they are not absurd." Coolidge noted that being "overly sensitive" made her constantly feel like she was in a "state of just recovering" from negative feedback — whether it was being rejected for a role or hearing a hurtful comment. Eventually though, Coolidge was able to become her "own champion" and find the strength to move forward. "Don't listen to the people who mess up the real story that you've got going," she urged the graduates. "It is your ability to convince yourself you really can make it, because you really have to be your own champion." The American Pie actress ended her speech by expressing that the point of her obstacle course story was to remind the graduates that "it really doesn't matter what anyone thinks or says." "When it comes to the obstacle course of your life, you have to find your own path," she said. "And you can't perfectly plan it out from the beginning. Part of directing your life is just letting it unfold. So let it." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Before Coolidge's career took off, she was waiting tables and performing with the Groundlings improv troupe. In June 1995, she auditioned for — and was rejected by — execs at Saturday Night Live. But four years later, she landed the role as Stifler's Mom in the American Pie movie series and as Paulette in Legally Blonde. Other roles followed in films like Best in Show and A Cinderella Story. In 2021, she skyrocketed to fame with her role as Tanya McQuoid in The White Lotus, which ultimately won her two Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe. Read the original article on People
Boston Globe
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Jennifer Coolidge urges Emerson graduates to ‘just friggin' go for it' in commencement speech
Advertisement Coolidge, who earned her degree at Emerson in performing arts, spoke to a lively sea of purple and black Sunday morning at Agganis Arena for the college's 145th commencement ceremony. The Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actress is known for her iconic roles in 'American Pie', 'Legally Blonde', 'Best In Show', 'Promising Young Woman,' and the critically acclaimed series 'The Watcher,' according to an earlier statement from Emerson College announcing her speech. She recently garnered critical acclaim for her portrayal of the fan-favorite character Tanya McQuoid in HBO's 'The White Lotus.' Coolidge, 63, was born in Boston and raised in Norwell. Growing up, she said she had an 'unrealistic belief in [herself] and what was possible.' Coolidge was recently recognized as Advertisement 'When you find the thing that you want to do, I really want to highly recommend, just friggin' go for it,' Coolidge said. 'You really have to psych yourself up into believing absurd possibilities, and you have to believe that they are not absurd.' Coolidge, who has sparked rumors online about her sexuality, started her speech by saying she's excited to be 'speaking with some very excited gay students,' which was met with thundering applause, along with 'some less excited hetero students,' she said to the laughing crowd. Coolidge also gave credit in her speech to Emerson for helping students start their journeys. 'Emerson has ignited these seemingly unattainable possibilities for you that now can be your reality,' Coolidge said. 'It is your ability to convince yourself you really can make it, because you have to be your own champion.' 'You can't perfectly plan it out from the beginning, and part of directing your life is just letting it unfold,' Coolidge said. Coolidge received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree at the ceremony. She said success in her career did not happen 'for a very long time,' and she endured 'hideous rejections.' In one instance, Coolidge recalled auditioning for a part where she had to get into an elevator and say, 'Going up?' 'They didn't want me,' Coolidge said. Coolidge reminded graduates that 'it's OK to be sensitive' and to 'feel things profoundly.' And as Elle Woods — protagonist of the Legally Blonde films — would say, Coolidge told graduates: 'We did it!' Advertisement Ava Berger can be reached at
