Mindy Kaling Takes Jabs at Harvard Law Students About Their Future: ‘You’ll Defend BP From Birds’

Mindy Kaling, a comedian who describes herself as someone who is “obsessed” with justice, gave a commencement speech at Harvard Law School on Wednesday that most students and faculty present were probably not expecting. Some of her best jokes were hilarious not only because Kaling is as witty as they come, but because they hinted at a social conscience, much like the one she seemed to be trying to instill in these future shakers and makers of America. At the end of her speech, “The Mindy Project” star highlighted the responsibility the graduates held in their hands, and though she was sure, statistically, that some would go on to do evil with it, she seemed to be saying, “Try to do some good rather than helping millionaires fight narcotics and fraud charges.”

Kaling also took the opportunity to make fun of Republicans (especially Mitt Romney) for their attempts to shake the Harvard name to appear more ordinary and to movingly explain the hopes many immigrants harbor when arriving in America, such as those of her own parents.

Here’s a small excerpt, but don’t settle for a paragraph. Watch the whole 16 plus minutes below:

With this diploma in hand, most of you will go on to the noblest of pursuits, like helping a cable company acquire a telecom company. You will defend BP from birds. You will spend hours arguing that the well water was contaminated well before the fracking occurred. One of you will sort out the details of my prenup. A dozen of you will help me with my acrimonious divorce. And one of you will fall in love in the process.

—Posted by Natasha Hakimi Zapata