Back when I was in college I worked for Teresa Sullivan – a labor force demographer. She was a rising star back then going from Associate Professor to Full Professor of both Sociology and Law and then Associate Dean of Graduate Studies in the two years I worked for her. She went on to be one of the Chancellors of the University of Texas System and now she’s no less than Provost of the University Of Michigan – which is WAY up there in academia.

I owe Terry a lot – she provided guidance and a job at a really critical time in my life when my parents were cutting me off and rejecting me and I was conflicted about my sexuality (though I don’t think we ever discussed my being gay). In many ways she was a bit like a mother to me for 2 years and a stable, sane force in my life.

Anyway, her husband is Douglas Laycock – a law professor who’s argued in front of the Supreme Court. He made a comment about gay marriage and Jon Stewart found his name funny and said “…there’s still room to giggle inappropriately at an experts name…” He wondered what it would be like if ABC News had two experts on gay marriage – Dr. Laycock and “Sodomy J. Balltickle”… Start at time code 2:00 to see what I’m talking about…

As Jon Stewart said, the comments are inappropriate. Personally I think Doug Laycock should try to get on The Daily Show – it’s a bit of a status thing these days, even if you’re made fun of in the process…