Will Ferrell bid farewell to USC graduates in the only way he knew how: By belting out Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” during his commencement address on Friday.
“Enjoy the process of your search without succumbing to the pressure of the result,” the comedian said to the graduates. “Trust your gut, keep throwing darts at the dart board, don’t listen to the critics and you will figure it out. Class of 2017, I just want you to know you will never be alone on whatever path you may choose. If you do have a moment where you feel down, just think about the support you have from this great Trojan family. Imagine me — literally picture my face — signing this song, gently into your ear.”
Cue Houston’s 1992 song, which Ferrell sang with ease. He started off quietly but finished strongly, belting the chorus with the famous highs and lows of Houston’s voice.
Ferrell received an honorary degree at the University of Southern California on Friday, becoming a Doctor of Humane Letters — which, according to him, lets him perform surgeries any time, any place.
“I have been informed I can now perform minimally-invasive surgery at any time or place even if people don’t want it,” Ferrell said at the beginning of the speech. “In fact, I am legally obligated to perform minor surgeries at the end of today’s ceremonies or my doctorate degree will be revoked … If any wants hernia surgery, please meet me at the ‘surgery center’ — by surgery center, I mean the windowless van I have parked by the Coliseum — but next time I am flying and they ask if there is a doctor on board, I can scream, ‘I am a doctor, what can I do? Yes, no problem, I can deliver that baby.’ Hopefully it will be on United Airlines in which I would be immediately subdued and dragged of the aircraft which will be recorded on someone’s iPhone and put on YouTube.”
Ferrell was referring to an incident on United last month, where a passenger was forcibly removed from the plane after refusing to give up his seat, resulting in a serious concussion, a broken nose and loss of two front teeth.
During his speech, the “Anchorman” star also spoke about how USC helped him discover his comedic side, starting with how he crashed his friends’ lectures dressed in costume. Although he is one of the most famous actors in the world, it wasn’t always easy for him.
“Don’t get me wrong, I love what I do, but I wasn’t extremely confident that I would succeed, and after moving back to L.A. I would sit down to a meal of spaghetti topped with mustard with only $20 in my checking account,” he added. “I thought, ‘oh well, I can always be a substitute school teacher.’ Yes, I was afraid — you are never not afraid. I am still afraid. I was afraid to write this speech. And now I am just realizing how many people are watching me right now and it’s scary. Can you please look away while I deliver the rest of the speech?”
And he even addressed Helen Mirren, who received an honorary degree as well.
“Even as I left ‘SNL,’ none of the studios were willing to take a chance on me,” he said. “It took us three years to shop ‘Anchorman’ around before anyone would make it. I only had a movie called ‘Old School’ that wouldn’t be released for another year, and a sub-par script about a man raised by elves at the North Pole. Even now I still lose out on parts that I want so desperately. The most painful one was losing the role of Queen Elizabeth in ‘The Queen.’ Apparently, it came down to myself and Helen Mirren. The rest is history. DAME HELEN MIRREN, YOU STOLE MY OSCAR!”
Watch Ferrell sing above (go to the 1:51:00 mark).