benny, baby!

Yesterday, the faculty reading roundtables and teaching groups gave brief presentations on their preoccupations over the course of the school year almost ended. Some groups had a hand-out, some had a powerpoint presentation, some had both (mine did). But two of the groups contained the same thwarted thespian, the same entertainer of the masses and would-be center of the world.
Well, maybe not that last part.
Then again...?
The thespian presented a slide show for his teaching/grant-writing group. Using humor, he likened his exploits in search of financial aid with those of Jack Benny. The slide show may have lasted a bit long, but all in attendance, myself included, definitely were entertained!
For his next act, for the reading roundtable, he made use of one of his team mates to serve as introducer of the physicist he was bringing to life. He made sure everyone understood just what a skirt-chasing, egotistical, immoral, boor Richard Feynman was as a person. I actually guffawed when he was introduced and started his spiel, but I was alone. Everyone else, in particular every woman there, was glued to him and his performance. Incredibly, they all seemed to be taking him to be the genuine article! Could it be that they mistakenly believed him and this other physicist to have the same personality?

me: Quite entertaining presentation today!
bfe: Thank you! Which one, Jack Benny and denial or Feynman. I bet Feynman.
me: Actually, i liked the Benny better. Feynman was such an ass.
bfe: I agree. Feynman... he's not very sympathetic.

Well, at least he and I knew better.