“Ladies and gentlemen of the class of 1997: Wear sunscreen.”

Circulates under Kurt Vonnegut

Editorial status

misattributed

The sunscreen commencement text is often presented as a Kurt Vonnegut address. It was a Mary Schmich column in the Chicago Tribune; Vonnegut did not give the speech.

Source-backed author: Mary Schmich

The text was Mary Schmich's 1997 Chicago Tribune column, later adapted into a song by Baz Luhrmann.

Earliest traceable appearance in this record: 1997 Chicago Tribune column by Mary Schmich.

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