Home / Arts and Entertainment / Fire Alarm Disrupts Colbert's Harvard Talk Amid Picket Line
Fire Alarm Disrupts Colbert's Harvard Talk Amid Picket Line
8 Nov
Summary
- Colbert and Yo-Yo Ma's event was cut short by a fire alarm.
- Graduate students on strike urged them to cancel in solidarity.
- Protesters demonstrated outside the venue, demanding better pay.
- The union denied involvement in the fire alarm's cause.
Stephen Colbert and cellist Yo-Yo Ma's discussion at Harvard University was unexpectedly terminated by a fire alarm. The event, titled "Arts for Life's Sake," was interrupted approximately 40 minutes into its scheduled 90-minute run, forcing an evacuation. This occurred while members of the Harvard Graduate Students Union, on strike since October 27, were protesting outside the venue.
The union had previously appealed to both Colbert and Ma to cancel or postpone their appearance, citing Colbert's past support for the 2023 Hollywood writers' strike. Protesters demonstrated with drums and air horns, chanting demands for higher wages and improved workplace protections, including better pay and grievance processes. The union is seeking annual pay of $55,000 for research assistants and $45,000 for teaching fellows, alongside other benefits and protections.
Harvard Magazine reported that the cause of the fire alarm remained unclear, with the union issuing a statement denying any involvement and expressing relief that no one was harmed. In contrast to Colbert and Ma, author John Green opted to move a scheduled appearance online to avoid crossing the graduate students' picket line, further donating proceeds to the union.
