In the chorus to her show-stopping number from the blockbuster film Chicago, Queen Latifah’s jail warden character, Mama, belts out, “When you’re good to Mama / Mama’s good to you.”

“Mama” was certainly good to Harvard last Saturday, seducing the sold-out crowd at Cultural Rhythms with her audacious antics and considerable stage presence. So it was only appropriate that Harvard repaid her in the best way it knows how: with a sweatshirt.

After graciously accepting the prized item, Queen Latifah quickly peeked at the tag. Giggling, she turned to the crowd. “Oooh, an extra-large. My size!”

Queen Latifah’s larger-than-life charisma made for an unusually good performance hosting this year’s annual cultural showcase. She expertly filled the role that has in recent years been occupied by the likes of Matt Damon, Jackie Chan and Denzel Washington.

Queen Latifah was invited to appear in the Sanders Theater event after she was nominated for Artist of the Year by the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations.

She responded immediately, agreeing to attend the festival. Later, she explained why she felt the festival was such an important event to support.

“With where our world is going, it’s what we need to be doing,” she says. “There’s so much to be honored in each culture.”

Queen Latifah adds that she is startled by what she sees as a general lack of openness between cultures.

“I’ve noticed that instead of embracing another culture, we kind of shy away,” she says.

She says her own ethnically diverse background, which she claims includes “Irish blood from five generations ago,” has allowed her to find acceptance in any society, especially when it comes to culinary traditions.

“If I go to Japan, I can eat sushi,” she says. “If I go to India, I can eat Indian food. If I go to Africa, I’m right at home!”

After the performance, Queen Latifah said she was impressed by the diversity of performances at Cultural Rhythms.

“I liked them all so much,” she said. “Everybody had uniquely strong things to offer.”

On stage, Latifah proved to be an equal-opportunity entertainer. She offered her own imitations of the various dances following each group’s performance, even singing along with the Kuumba Singers and “shimmying” to the beats of the Caribbean Club Dance Troupe.

“I wanted to participate in all of them!” she said. “But I don’t know if I’d be able to participate in any of them,” she said, making a characteristic reference to her own physique and laughing heartily.