Actor Jon Hamm, who rose to fame as ad executive Don Draper on the AMC series 鈥淢ad Men鈥 and more recently appeared in 鈥淔argo鈥 and 鈥淟andman,鈥 was honored Friday night as the 2025 Man of the Year by Harvard University鈥檚 Hasty Pudding Theatricals.
The theater group, which dates to 1844 and claims to be the world鈥檚 third-oldest still operating, said Hamm will receive his Pudding Pot award at a celebratory roast. Afterward, he will attend a performance of Hasty Pudding Theatricals鈥 176th production, 鈥101 Damnations.鈥
鈥淚 can't believe there are so many people here,鈥 Hamm said after accepting his Pudding Pot award. 鈥淒id you all seriously think I was dead? This is such a wonderful honor.鈥
Before accepting the Pudding Pot, Hamm endured a roasting at the hands of two members of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals. They mocked his height, poked fun at the fact he had not won an Academy Award and suggested many previous winners were better looking.
To make their point, they even had him take part in a contest with someone wearing a Paul Rudd mask, the 2018 winner of the award. Hamm also participated in a trivia contest with an piece of deli meat on a table 鈥 who the presenters suggested had won the 2017 Academy Award for production design.
The best bit, though, was making Hamm channel his 鈥淢ad Men鈥 character, Don Draper, and pitch several items. Among them was selling car insurance to a baby driver and a pen to a woman who had just landed her dream job and was promptly fired. Then, there was selling a lifetime voucher for bath time with Harry Potter.
鈥淗i, do you love Daniel Radcliffe? How about Harry Potter?鈥 Draper asked an excited woman on stage. 鈥淚 would say let's sit in a tub together but that sounds like, A, terrifying, and B, marginally illegal.鈥
Afterwards at a press conference, Hamm credited Saturday Night Live鈥 creator Lorne Michaels with bringing out his funny side and said Don Draper was the most challenging and fun character that he has ever played. He also cast doubt on the prospect of his character Monty Miller on 鈥淟andman" being resurrected.
鈥淯sually when you鈥檙e surrounded by your loved ones on a hospital bed and they鈥檙e crying and the machine has a flat line on it, it鈥檚 not great,鈥 he joked.
Hasty Pudding Theatricals gives the awards to people who have made lasting and impressive contributions to the world of entertainment.
Hamm is best known for starring in 鈥淢ad Men,鈥 but he has had a storied acting career. Among his achievements, he received Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for his portrayal of Sheriff Roy Tillman in the FX series 鈥淔argo,鈥 he has starred in several movies, including 鈥淏ad Times at the El Royale,鈥 and he has hosted 鈥淪aturday Night Live鈥 three times.
Other recent Man of the Year winners have included Barry Keoghan last year, Bob Odenkirk in 2023 and Jason Bateman in 2022.
鈥淲icked鈥 star Cynthia Erivo has been named Hasty Pudding Theatricals鈥 Woman of the Year Award. She will receive her award Feb. 6.
