"I'm looking at the schedule right now and there's nothing on here," he said. "It's a big hoax, so we don't have any comments."

But the rapidly growing group of spectators continued to keep faith that the Rock would show up.

Tightly gripping his banner that read: "Harvard...The People's University," Damien C. Matthews '03 remained confident.

"We're going to wait here," he said. "The People's champ will appear."

When they saw a New England Cable News truck pull up and a series of limousines circling the area, they seemed even more certain--until it was revealed to them that Billy Crystal, the Hasty Pudding Theatricals man of the year, was just a few blocks away.

University of Massachusetts student Sean Quinlan, whose sister told him to come down to Harvard today expressed the sentiment of this crowd. "Who cares about Billy Crystal?" he said.

While people milled about on the front steps of the Lampoon, the people inside the castle were quietly waiting for everyone to leave.