Though she’s used to spending much more time at the Ivy than at the Ivy League, Paris Hilton actually spent a little time at Harvard University yesterday. Yes THAT Harvard, not some bar or club that has a tricky name. And to further confuse your view of the fundamentals of world order, Paris was given an award. I’m pretty sure it’s the first one she’s ever gotten – you know she wasn’t event the kid that got the lame “Honorable Mention” award at the third grade science fair. Paris was awarded the Harvard Lampoon Humor Magazine’s Woman of the Year award. And she actually looked pretty cute… at least for Paris Hilton. She had a wry smile on her face that made me think she almost understood the joke. Almost. Because then she spoke.

Harvard University loves Paris Hilton. “Harvard is hot!” the 26-year old heiress proclaimed Wednesday as she posed for pictures holding a giant, oversized trophy on the steps of the Lampoon Castle in Cambridge Massachusetts.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine standing here, standing on the steps of the Harvard Lampoon,” Hilton said. “It’s really exciting and I’ve had such a great time.”

The Lampoon award is a spoof of the annual honors given by Harvard’s Hasty Pudding Theatericals. Paris currently stars in the upcoming film The Hottie and the Nottie, which hits theaters on Friday. Hilton, who arrived an hour late for the festivities, told the crowd of about 100 people that her Simple Life Star, Nicole Richie, was also with her, then added: “Just kidding!”

[From OK! Magazine]

It’s too bad Paris made such lame jokes. This would have been the perfect opportunity for her to spend a few hundred bucks and hire someone to ghostwrite something funny for her, and actually pleasantly surprise everyone. She was gracious and seemed to enjoy herself. I’m guessing Paris capped off the closest thing she’s ever had to a college experience by playing some ultimate Frisbee on the quad and sleeping with a guy she later regretted.

Picture Note by JayBird: Images thanks to Splash.