Graduation Speaker: CJ Hunt

By ABBY FOSTER '19 and CHARLOTTE KANE '19

The alumni speaker for this year’s graduation is CJ Hunt, Class of 2003. According to Milton’s website, since his graduation from Brown University, Hunt has worked as “a comedy writer and director,” contributing to a myriad of projects. Currently, Hunt works as a producer for “The Rundown with Robin Thede,” a BET show which, according to an article from The Hollywood Reporter, is a “fast-paced, no-holds-barred show that [features] social commentary, sketch comedy, and pop culture parodies.” Additionally, he wrote for a show called “Black & White” on A&E; the show is “a provocative weekly in-studio show that tackles the third rail of both comedy and politics: race,” according to an article from tvseriesfinale.com. Hunt was also a cast member on MTV’s “Vidots,” which is, according to MTV, “what happens when you add six pairs of comedians, some snacks, and loads of bizarre music videos.” He’s also a regular host of “The Moth”—a storytelling show of a similar format to the Moths that Milton’s Multicultural Club hosts. Hunt is currently working on a feature length documentary which investigates America’s relationship with Confederate monuments: a very relevant topic after protests broke out in Charlottesville, VA over a statue of Robert E. Lee.

As a student at Milton, Hunt, who went by Trey back then, was Head Monitor, as well as a strong actor. Performing arts faculty member Mr. Parisi noted, “[CJ] was part of a powerhouse class of actors”. In his senior year, Hunt starred as Romeo in Romeo and Juliet. Additionally, Parisi sponsored Hunt’s senior project. The project was on sketch comedy and improv: the first one of its kind that Mr. Parisi had ever seen. “He and two other students went into Improv Asylum [a local improv theater]: they took classes, they wrote sketches...I mean, [CJ] was great,” Parisi reminisces.

After high school, Hunt’s comedic accomplishments reached far beyond the contents of the bio listed on the Milton website. “When he went to college with one of the guys from Milton—he went to Brown—they did this...original T.V. series at Brown; it was a sort of take off of Sesame Street based on Thayer Street, which is the main drag in Providence, near Brown. And they sent me copies of the videos, and it was great fun,” Parisi adds.

Now a comedian and activist, Hunt spent his high school years a well regarded student leader. He seems a perfect candidate for a graduation speaker, and will hopefully send the Class of 2018 off well.