Comedian Lewis Black once had a bit in his comedy set about how certain words or names can elicit laughter just by mentioning them in conversation. Black uses Michael Jackson as an example of this phenomenon. He proceeds to tell some classic jokes like, Why did the chicken cross the road? Michael Jackson. Three guys walk into a bar, Michael Jackson.

The notion here is that when the name is mentioned as the punchline, we as the audience fill in the blanks as to what happened in the premise. A lot of these jokes do not make sense when they are constructed this way, but because we understand who the person is, we create scenarios in our own heads that make the situation funny to us.

I have reached that point with a few individuals here on campus who are responsible for my upcoming termination. The sad part is that nobody has to set up a premise. All they have to do is mention their name and I begin to chuckle. I have no idea when this became a thing for me, but I know it’s because it has something to do with their leadership styles, or lack thereof.

Now when somebody invokes their name in a conversation my mind races toward the most absurd scenarios it can think of involving that person. I feel like it is my mind’s way of wishing ill intent on people that seems like it was ripped right from a Tom and Jerry script, not that those cartoons ever had dialogue. In recent days it has gotten worse. I can keep myself tight-lipped most of the time, but I’ve nearly cracked in a faculty meeting or two since I recognized this was becoming a problem.

Ultimately, I don’t think smirking whenever somebody says a name will land me in hot water, but I do know it has sparked my imagination to go places that would make the Three Stooges proud.