Encounter #13 — Student Assessment, the Death of the Author, and Riffing on Comedy

The Bullshit Artists

In this episode, the conversation begins with a brief exchange about jazz music before turning to a consideration of the recent television series Only Murders in the Building. From there, the interlocutors return to a topic that has been of considerable interest in recent encounters—best practices in the classroom—this time with a special focus on assessment, and, particularly, on some criticisms Jack has of the way that Rory has structured his students' midterm exam. After a bit of back and forth, the pair veer into a discussion of film, which quickly morphs into an exploration of whether or not, and to what extent, it is possible or desirable to separate an artist from his or her art. This thread winds its way from Roman Polanski to Dave Chappelle, which, in turn, leads to a general discussion of transphobia—something that both Jack and Rory disdain. Finally, the duo concludes with a broader consideration of comedy in general, and closes with Rory's ill-advised admission to Jack that he has been contemplating giving stand-up comedy a try at an open mic night in NYC.