I think I'm the only one who thought this was funny

Except, of course, for my students.

On Tuesday in senior seminar, we're talking about strategies I might use in contacting forger and murderer Mark Hofmann. One person suggests that I play to his ego. Another suggests my sharing my own intellectual interest in rhetoric with him, tell him I think he's a master rhetorician--there's one very specific method for playing to his ego. Let him know I'm with him in the fight to make people less gullible, less blindly trusting.

Yes, but, says one student. You don't want to play to his ego too much cuz he'll just have fun manipulating you.

And then another student says, and this is the funny part: I don't think it's possible for you not to show how excited you are about his genius.

Me: Uh, thanks.

He: No, that's not what I meant. That came out sounding wrong. I don't mean that you wouldn't be able to contain your excitement, just that in the very act of visiting him, you're showing your interest in his work, you obviously think he's good.

Me: Yeah, well, I probably wouldn't be able to contain my enthusiasm anyway. I can't wait to tell my friends about this one.

And then when I did nobody thought it was funny. Nobody got it. Ah well. I still like it.