Billy Crystal won't be cracking jokes as host of the Academy Awards show until next month, but the actor had to deliver an Oscar-worthy performance last night to earn his pudding pot at the Hasty Pudding's Man of the Year award ceremony.

Crystal burst into the theater to a standing ovation and the Pudding orchestra's strains of "It Had to Be You."

But before he could get his pudding pot, Crystal had to lasso a blond "cow" with prominent udders onto the ground and portray how Robert De Niro might help a cow give birth.

Daniel A. Bress'01, co-producer of the Hasty Pudding's 152nd drag burlesque extravaganza, The Jewel of Denial, donned a white lab coat and stethoscope on stage to dish Crystal some "Hasty Pudding therapy."

Crystal perched on a folding chair and answered yes and no questions that poked fun of his own movies--including City Slickers and When Harry Met Sally.

But the roast ultimately cast the spot light on Crystal's talents as a comedian--perfect timing and dead-on impersonations--and Crystal brought down the house.

With the melody of Green Acres playing in the background, Crystal assumed the voice of his infamous Saturday Night Live character, Fernando and told a caged pig "you look disgusting. . . the top of your head looks like Jay Leno's."

When Bruce M. Haggerty'00, co-producer of Jewel, snapped his fingers out of sync with a drum roll, Crystal shared some of his experience as six- time Oscar host extraordinare. The duo practiced delivering the punch line snap in time with a drum roll, with Haggerty mimicking Crystal's professional style.