Bret Devereaux

I'm always puzzled by the Hollywood tendency to depict as academics as these detached, wealthy almost-patrician figures - fancy suits, expensive cars, fine wines and well-appointed offices. What schools did all of these screen-writers go to? And are they hiring?

Now, to be clear, at least on the tenure-track, professors are hardly poor. TT starting salaries in the humanities are usually something like 1.5-2x the median personal income (note, *personal* not household) in the USA.