Kimmel steps up for Scholars at Risk
Now in its 14th year, Harvard’s Scholars at Risk program continues to offer sanctuary to teachers, researchers, writers, and other intellectuals from around the globe. Late-night TV host and comedian Jimmy Kimmel will join sports analyst, podcaster, and Massachusetts native Bill Simmons for an evening of conversation at 7 p.m. Saturday at Boston’s Citi Shubert Theater to support the program. The Gazette caught up with Kimmel last week to ask him about his connection to Scholars at Risk, his work, and whether he thinks frenemy Matt Damon might drop in on the upcoming discussion. GAZETTE: How did you first learn about the Scholars at Risk Program at Harvard? KIMMEL: The program is directed by Jane Unrue, who has been my close friend since we were in high school in Las Vegas. Jane teaches writing at Harvard and asked me to help an Iranian novelist named Shahriar Mandanipour. I sponsored Shahriar to help him and...