On Friday evening, while watching "The Wizard of Oz" with my five year old missy, I saw something delightful. When Dorothy and the gang finally meet Oz, the old wizard bestows upon the Scare Crow an honorary Th.D., which he calls a "Doctor of Thinkology." Dr. Scare Crow!!!!!! Yep, I like it.
Hey Russell, I saw that too, and chuckled a bit. Somehow, I feel I wouldn't have noticed it had I not been visiting Degreeinfo Roscoe
The full quote, which has been at the start of the Honorary Doctorates chapter of Bears' Guide for the last few editions: "Why anybody can have a brain. That's a very mediocre commodity. Back where I come from, we have great universities--seats of great learning--where men go to become great thinkers. And when they come out they think deep thoughts, and with no more brains than you have. But they have one thing you haven't got: a diploma! Therefore by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Universitatis Commititatum E Pluribus Unum, I hereby confer upon you the honorary degree of Th.D. That's, uh, er, ah, Doctor of Thinkology."
Sorry I havn't seen it, John. As an avid reader of The Guide I'm surprised I havn't noticed this, but the honorary doctorate chapter is the one chapter I usually let slip by. Since I have never been impressed with the honorary doctorate as a credential--i.e., in terms of academic value/merit/worth--this chapter has not appealed to me. I make a commitment to read the entire chapter on honorary doctorates as soon as I receive the 15th Edition.
Russell: "Since I have never been impressed with the honorary doctorate as a credential--i.e., in terms of academic value/merit/worth--this chapter has not appealed to me." John: 'Sallright. But some reviewers have suggested that this is the funniest chapter in the book -- especially the chart of recent recipients, and what they said or other highlights. For instance, Dr. Robin Williams, honorary doctorate from Juilliard: After lampooning Jesse Helms and Dan Quayle -- 'President Quayle, raise your right hand. No, your other right hand' -- he said, "I would like to do something from Hamlet. I just need a moment to prepare." As the crowd roared, he continued, "To be or . . . wait! I know this!" Dr. Chevy Chase, from Bard College: "Never tell the truth. Embellish, patronize, pander, use hyperbole, braggadocio, mollify, but never actually tell the truth. Your job is to act. Keep the dream alive. Also, never call me." Dr. Mike Tyson (Central State U), to a reporter asking him how he felt now that he was a doctor: "I'm successful, I'm young, I'm single, I'm rich, I have God in my life -- and may I be permitted to say, you are such an incredible-looking woman."
John Bear - ... on honorary doctorates, in particular Mike Tyson. John Craparo - ... this reminds me of my undergraduate professor, a man of the cloth and PhD, who when asked by a student, "How long should the research paper be?" replied, "Well it should be like a modest woman's dress - long enough to cover the essentials while being short enough to keep my interest." Most of the class laughed, but several coeds were very upset. This is the first time I have ever repeated that, but Mike T made me do it.
