Barstool Sports

SF Gate - Gregory F. Sullivan was showing students a documentary when he said: “If someone with orange hair appears in the corner of the room, run for the exit.” A professor at the United States Merchant Marine Academy in New York who faced dismissal for joking about the Colorado movie theater shootings has been suspended for 45 days instead. Colorado shooting suspect James Holmes has dyed bright orange hair. The professor had just turned down the lights when he made the remark. The father of one of his students was among the 12 people killed in the July 20 shooting. The New York Times reports Long Island school said the decision to suspend Sullivan was made after careful review of all information.

Talk about an overreaction. It doesn’t matter how many endowed chairs or peer review papers you get in your career; everyone knows the greatest honor a professor can receive in their career is being a “cool” professor. If you decide to devote your life to the circle jerk of awkward that is academia there comes a point in time where you have to figure out a way to try and seem like you still understand how the real world works. Some professors like to name drop places around campus to make it seem like they’re in tune with the student body. Others like to say “fuck” in class because everyone knows it makes them hip and edgy. And some of them decide to channel their inner Dane Cook (because all “cool” professors know that’s what kids are into these days) and tell hilarious jokes like this one in class.I can’t believe one of his students had the nerve to be related to one of the victims because he really put a damper on one of the funniest jokes of all time. Greg Sullivan was showing a documentary in class, and James Holmes walked into a crowded movie theater and shot 12 people. Talk about a hysterical coincidence! The only reason he should have been suspended is not making a joke in that situation. That’s comedy gold right there.