Stephen Colbert was rushed out of a Harvard appearance Thursday after a fire alarm ended the event amid a union protest over his decision to cross a picket line.
The former late-night host, 60, had taken the stage with cellist Yo-Yo Ma, 69, for a scheduled talk at the university despite weeks of pleas from the Harvard Graduate Student Union to cancel or move the event. The union has been on strike since Oct. 27, demanding wage increases and protections for non-citizens and against harassment and discrimination.
Hundreds of demonstrators chanted directly outside the venue as the event began, making it difficult to hear the speakers even before the alarm sounded, according to reports. The disruption forced organizers to cut the event short during its question-and-answer portion and escort Colbert out.
The union denied any role in triggering the alarm. “The alarm was unrelated to HGSU’s picketing activity and we have no knowledge of its cause,” the Harvard Graduate Student Union wrote in a statement on social media. “Members at the picket were relieved to learn that no one inside was at risk.”
HGSU had sent multiple formal communications to both Colbert and Ma’s teams well ahead of Thursday’s event, warning that the building would have an active picket line. The union said it encouraged the celebrities to move off-site, go virtual, reschedule, or cancel entirely. “Colbert and Ma’s respective unions, SAG-AFTRA and the Boston Musicians’ Association, also reached out to them on our behalf with the same request,” the union added in an Instagram post. “They continued the event inside without regard for the picket line, and refused to speak with union members as they left the event. In other words — they crossed our picket line.”
The stance marked a notable contrast with Colbert’s public solidarity during the 2023 Writers Guild strike, when he stood with protesters and co-founded Strike Force Five, a podcast featuring late-night hosts supporting striking writers. Ma, a Harvard graduate himself, also proceeded with the appearance despite his alumni connection to the striking institution.
Author and YouTuber John Green took the opposite approach, standing in solidarity with HGSU by changing his own Harvard schedule. “They’re on strike and I had to move a thing to not cross a picket line,” Green said in an interview clip posted to HGSU’s Instagram. “Which was an easy decision… it was not a hard decision for me. I’m sorry I had to do it on Zoom,” He added: “But I’m also sorry that the student workers have to be on strike against the richest university in the world.” Green donated his event proceeds to the union, according to reports.
Since the strike began, graduate classes have gone untaught as the union pushes for contract improvements. The disruption to Colbert and Ma’s appearance represented one of the most high-profile moments of the labor action so far, drawing national attention to the ongoing dispute at one of the country’s wealthiest universities.