WEBVTT - Short Stuff: Honorary Degrees

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<v Speaker 1>Hey there, and welcome to short Stuff. I'm Josh Clark,

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<v Speaker 1>and there's Charles Lubach Hook Brian, there's Jerry over there,

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<v Speaker 1>and we are right smack dab in the middle of

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<v Speaker 1>entering graduation season, and we're three doctors. We are self proclaimed. Really,

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<v Speaker 1>we didn't even have three honorary decreem exactly. Ours are

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<v Speaker 1>written in crayon in our own handwriting. Yeah, so this,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, we talked about this in a recent episode

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<v Speaker 1>about honorary degrees, and this ended up being kind of encapsulating.

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<v Speaker 1>What's perfect about short stuff is we can explain everything

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<v Speaker 1>you need to know about honorary degrees and like twelve minutes,

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<v Speaker 1>we can explain it in one second. Marketing. Yeah, that's

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<v Speaker 1>kind of that's kind of true, but it is a

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<v Speaker 1>little more interesting than that. Uh, let's talk about the history,

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<v Speaker 1>because not all universities give honorary degrees um very this

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<v Speaker 1>The University of Virginia uv A, m I T, Stanford,

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<v Speaker 1>and Cornell do not give honorary degrees um. William uh

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<v Speaker 1>Barton Rogers, founder of m I T, said they are

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<v Speaker 1>unfriendly to true literary advancement and of spurious merit and

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<v Speaker 1>noisy popularity, and William Barton Rogers had graduated u v A,

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<v Speaker 1>so that's where he was kind of located with the

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<v Speaker 1>idea that you shouldn't have, you shouldn't give away doctorates.

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<v Speaker 1>And uv A was founded by Thomas Jefferson, who was

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<v Speaker 1>the one who put that ban on him, right, but

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<v Speaker 1>he accepted an honorary doctorate from Harvard. It's a bit

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<v Speaker 1>of a double standard, probably not the only double standard

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<v Speaker 1>Thomas Jefferson's ever ever been involved with. Yeah, but here's

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<v Speaker 1>the secret, Well, it's not a secret at all. Here's

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<v Speaker 1>the very plain truth that everyone knows about honorary degrees.

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<v Speaker 1>Since the beginning of time, they have been used. Two.

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<v Speaker 1>They say, a to reward donors who have given money,

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<v Speaker 1>sometimes to bring in celebrities for appeal for like media

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<v Speaker 1>appeal for graduation ceremonies and such like that. But it's

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<v Speaker 1>really just for whatever reason, it's a way to get

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<v Speaker 1>some press by acknowledging someone that you think as a

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<v Speaker 1>university somewhat aligns with your values as a university. Right. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>Ultimately that's the goal is to it's not just somebody's

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<v Speaker 1>but somebody who is doing something that your university values

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<v Speaker 1>or everybody can get behind, right, Yeah. And it started

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<v Speaker 1>in Europe, not even here in the US. No, no

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<v Speaker 1>um over at Oxford, I believe the first one was

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<v Speaker 1>handed out to a guy named lionel Um. That's a

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<v Speaker 1>pretty good fifteenth century name. It was given out to him.

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<v Speaker 1>He was an influential bishop and he he got his

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<v Speaker 1>honorary doctorate unbidden. It was a bit of a surprise.

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<v Speaker 1>From what I understand is just kind of showed up

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<v Speaker 1>at his house and they say, so congratulations. Also totally unrelated,

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<v Speaker 1>we were thinking that you might come be chancellor of

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<v Speaker 1>the university. Now since you're a doctor, all al right,

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<v Speaker 1>I can do that. I can bring some of my

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<v Speaker 1>wealthy connections with me to to UM to Oxford, which

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<v Speaker 1>by the way, was about four hundred years old by

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<v Speaker 1>this time. In four so they were the first one

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<v Speaker 1>to confer an honorary degree. And they kicked off a

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<v Speaker 1>grand tradition that is basically just kind of waxed and

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<v Speaker 1>waned throughout the years, but mostly waxed in in enthusiasm

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<v Speaker 1>and abuse, I guess is the word I'm looking for. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>King Charles the first speaking of abuse, Uh, he really

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<v Speaker 1>got honorary degree. Happy he handed up three hundred and

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<v Speaker 1>fifty Oxford doctorates. Uh, two people that of course supported

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<v Speaker 1>his court. All within one single year. That's a lot.

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<v Speaker 1>That's a lot. Um, it's almost one a day by

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<v Speaker 1>my calculation, almost took off Christmas and Thanksgiving? Right, oh

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<v Speaker 1>wait Thanksgiving? Uh not then no, maybe all Saints Day.

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<v Speaker 1>So um, King Charles the first was the first to

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<v Speaker 1>abuse it. He was far from the last. Um. By

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<v Speaker 1>the nineteenth century, there were so many degrees being handed

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<v Speaker 1>out left and right, honorary degrees, that they actually had

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<v Speaker 1>a depressing effect on the importance of actual doctorates that

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<v Speaker 1>were being earned, which is a big problem. Right and

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<v Speaker 1>um the the president of the Northeastern Dental Association, who's

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<v Speaker 1>typically a mouthpiece for um morality and in direction in academia,

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<v Speaker 1>um famously warned in that the most dangerous, delusive, debauching

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<v Speaker 1>and degrading the four d S thing in American educational

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<v Speaker 1>life is the practice of granting unearned degrees. It's pretty harsh.

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<v Speaker 1>It was very harsh, but you know, and the guy

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<v Speaker 1>was obviously hysterical. But but it does get across, get

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<v Speaker 1>across this point that that it was it was getting

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<v Speaker 1>a little a little much I guess was the point

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<v Speaker 1>by the nineteenth century, and it's calmed down tremendously, especially

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<v Speaker 1>here in the States, but it's still going on. It

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<v Speaker 1>just seems to be a little a little less problematic

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<v Speaker 1>than I think it was before, because at some point

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<v Speaker 1>somebody said, okay, all right, let's just let's just yes,

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<v Speaker 1>you can keep giving out degrees, but people who are

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<v Speaker 1>getting these honorary degrees do not attempt to use them

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<v Speaker 1>like they're legitimate. And that seems to change the course

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<v Speaker 1>of things. Yeah, alright, so let's take a break. We'll

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<v Speaker 1>talk a little bit about how this happens. Who picks

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<v Speaker 1>these people and some regrettable choices right after this. All right,

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<v Speaker 1>So it is a big deal to do this. UM,

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<v Speaker 1>A lot of times it is to get someone like

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<v Speaker 1>a Jerry Seinfeld at your graduation ceremony. What these doctorates?

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<v Speaker 1>I'm sorry, I'm sorry, everybody. That was pretty good. UM,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm trying to sound he sounded like not Jerry Seinfeld,

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<v Speaker 1>David Brenner probably okay, sure, why not? Uh? And they

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<v Speaker 1>do say, um, honorary degree serve as a way to

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<v Speaker 1>inspire the students graduating that day. So that is, um,

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<v Speaker 1>that is the reason most people do that, get Conan,

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<v Speaker 1>get Jerry Seinfeld in there. Uh, and a lot of

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<v Speaker 1>you know, most schools will have a board that decides

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<v Speaker 1>this kind of thing, and they need to start well

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<v Speaker 1>in advance, so typically you'll start like a year out, um,

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<v Speaker 1>just seeing if the person is interested and if their

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<v Speaker 1>schedule might ALIGNE. And I don't know if it's um,

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<v Speaker 1>it probably works differently at every school. I don't know

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<v Speaker 1>if it's in writing as a requirement to come to

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<v Speaker 1>graduation or more like and we'd like to give it

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<v Speaker 1>to you in person on this date at our football stadium.

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<v Speaker 1>They're like, come on, that's kind of the deal. As

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<v Speaker 1>you're supposed to show up. And that's really I think,

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<v Speaker 1>sort of the unwritten rule. Yeah, because I mean if

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<v Speaker 1>you go to a college graduation, that's like, I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>that's the show stopper. That's the reason people sit there

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<v Speaker 1>is because there's somebody very right. Yeah, it is very

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<v Speaker 1>very boring. Um, it's just like can't you just like

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<v Speaker 1>email this to these people? Um? There there there should

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<v Speaker 1>be a very um, recognizable and or inspirational and or

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<v Speaker 1>funny person speaking at a decent graduation ceremony. And it

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<v Speaker 1>doesn't necessarily have to be a celebrity. UM. They do

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<v Speaker 1>still give these two like big donors. But I think

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<v Speaker 1>that that means that you have more of a mountain

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<v Speaker 1>to climb to impress people because you're still expected to

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<v Speaker 1>give like amazing caliber remarks at the commencement exercises. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>and when you teased before the break about hey, everyone

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<v Speaker 1>like you understand that you're not a real PhD or

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<v Speaker 1>god forbid, a medical doctor. Um. That's the thing is

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<v Speaker 1>like they know they're not. But there have been some

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<v Speaker 1>notable people that have called themselves doctor of whatever after

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<v Speaker 1>they got this. UM. Florida Atlantic University takes it very seriously.

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<v Speaker 1>In their rules. They say, in no instance will the

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<v Speaker 1>recipient of an honorary doctorate from f A you represent

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<v Speaker 1>the award as being an earned doctorate or have earned

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<v Speaker 1>academic credential of any kind. This award does not entitle

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<v Speaker 1>the recipient to use the title of doctor or a

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<v Speaker 1>pen PhD or any other earned degree designation after his

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<v Speaker 1>or her name. And UM. Basically they say at the end,

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<v Speaker 1>like if we get you doing this too, we could

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<v Speaker 1>take it away. We're gonna take it away. We're gonna

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<v Speaker 1>take this meaningless of paper right away from you. Don't

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<v Speaker 1>even register at your hotel under doctor Bryant, which I

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<v Speaker 1>haven't been known to do. Don't even don't even have

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<v Speaker 1>your wife call you doctor, because we'll find out. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>because we're listening. So um, it's not just Florida Atlantic

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<v Speaker 1>University takes it seriously. There is a Grove City College

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<v Speaker 1>professor UM psychology professor Warren Throckmorton, who apparently one day

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<v Speaker 1>realized that some general funding was about to run out,

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<v Speaker 1>and he did a survey of university policy statements about

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<v Speaker 1>the use of UM doctorates, of of of honorary doctorates,

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<v Speaker 1>and basically to a to a university, it's like, let's

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<v Speaker 1>just be clear here, this actually doesn't mean that you

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<v Speaker 1>are a doctor of anything or that you have a PhD.

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<v Speaker 1>Do not let us catch you using this. This is

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<v Speaker 1>a this is a big deal because again, back in

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<v Speaker 1>the nineteenth century, they were handing out UM m D

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<v Speaker 1>s uh basically everything, and people were like, yeah, call me,

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<v Speaker 1>call me Dr Dangerfield, you know, um, and it was

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<v Speaker 1>it was a big problem. So now they seem to

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<v Speaker 1>have it under under control, although there have been some

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<v Speaker 1>people in recent years that still said, now whenever you

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<v Speaker 1>gave me a doctorate. I'm gonna use doctor. I don't

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<v Speaker 1>care what you think of me, because I'm my Angelou. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm a gift to the world. Ben Franklin did that

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<v Speaker 1>after getting degrees from Oxford and University of St. Andrews.

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<v Speaker 1>And like you said, with My Angelou, it's like one

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<v Speaker 1>of those things where you know, it's not super cool,

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<v Speaker 1>but who's gonna go tell my Angelou what to do? Nobody? Nobody.

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<v Speaker 1>They'll get a palm in their face. Yeah. I mean

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<v Speaker 1>I can imagine her speaking in that great voice of hers,

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<v Speaker 1>and like I would just shrink, right, you know, I

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<v Speaker 1>was about to dry do with my angel but there's

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<v Speaker 1>no way you would not rise. You would shrink. Look

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<v Speaker 1>at the shrink. Uh. And then there have been some

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<v Speaker 1>very regrettable and rescinded PhD s honorary PhDs over the year. Um.

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<v Speaker 1>Of course, Bill Cosby has many, many of these, and

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<v Speaker 1>they were I think probably all taken away, yeah, I believe,

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<v Speaker 1>including from his alma mater temple. But the first one

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<v Speaker 1>was Yale. With with Yale, he became the first in

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<v Speaker 1>three hundred years to have their his honorary degree taken

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<v Speaker 1>away at least by Yale University. But yeah, everybody started

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<v Speaker 1>following suit after that. Yeah, there's a few more uh

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<v Speaker 1>legendary uh late DJ from England, Jimmy Seville. Oh, he's

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<v Speaker 1>a terrible he was terrible human because it was exposed

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<v Speaker 1>later in his life that he was one of the

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<v Speaker 1>most prolific pedophiles in the history of Britain. They took

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<v Speaker 1>away his honorary degree. Um Oscar Pistorius away? Um who

0:11:36.600 --> 0:11:43.280
<v Speaker 1>else Donald Trump had one rescinded from whom university? You

0:11:43.360 --> 0:11:47.560
<v Speaker 1>say that as if it's a real thing. Um. I

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<v Speaker 1>had it written down, but I can't find it now.

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<v Speaker 1>But he got an honorary degree that was taken away

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<v Speaker 1>while he was running for president because of anti Muslim remarks.

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<v Speaker 1>And they were like, no, we're taking that back. It's cool. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>and there's there's more and more. I don't Oh, I

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<v Speaker 1>could listen to these all day. Well, I think we

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<v Speaker 1>should campaign to get them from our own alma mater. Well,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, a m somebody wrote in from an unnamed

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<v Speaker 1>they not by us, but they wouldn't name what college

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<v Speaker 1>they work at, but it's in Canada, and they said

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<v Speaker 1>they do honorary degrees up there too. And I believe

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<v Speaker 1>it was that she said that she was working to

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<v Speaker 1>get us honorary degrees. So fingers crossed, yes, Um, I

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<v Speaker 1>will make fun of these up until and including when

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<v Speaker 1>I have one. Okay, that's a deal. I'm going to

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<v Speaker 1>hold you to that. Well, I guess that's it for

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<v Speaker 1>honorary degrees. We got this article from how Stuff Works,

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<v Speaker 1>so you can go check it out if you like,

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<v Speaker 1>and in the meantime, short stuff out. Stuff you Should

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<v Speaker 1>Know is a production of iHeart Radios How Stuff Works.

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