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Message
My Jason Arday (fake Cambridge professor) conspiracy theory
Posted on 8/20/26 at 5:11 am
Posted on 8/20/26 at 5:11 am
TL/DR Fake professor was hired by Borat's cousin. Was this an elaborate troll gone wrong?
When you read Arday's CV and his other claims, they are beyond parody. They seem like an elaborate troll and are so absurd that no one would believe them.
Spoke his first word at four, couldn't really speak until 12, couldn't read until 18. Somehow graduated university...with an undergrad in Phys Ed and Ethnic studies. The Phys Ed and Ethnic studies part was true.
Has Aspergers (wasn't a thing when he was diagnosed), epilepsy, brittle bones, TWO brain tumors and managed to run 30 marathons in 35 days, as well as completing 9 back to back ultra marathons.
Published 4 books. Published none.
Claims to be on a nationally televised show about 7 years old with learning disabilities. Something easily verified. He wasn't. No one checked.
Somehow gets a fully tenured professorship at one of the most prestigious and oldest universities in the world...without even an undergrad or masters in psychology or sociology.
And a whole lot more.
Sounds like an elaborate troll meant to lampoon the DEI hiring practices at the time. Something easily sussed out if anyone bothered to check anything.
What if it was?
The man who hired Arday and oversaw his department is Sir Simon Baron Cohen.
Familiar last name? Yep, that's Sascha Baron Cohen's (Borat) cousin. A man known for elaborate trolls and sticking to a longform bit and gradually upping the ante over time until the absurdity is off the charts.
What if this started off as a bit and spiraled out of control? What if the horse got the bit between his teeth and decided to run with his new found fame and influence?
Just asking questions.
When you read Arday's CV and his other claims, they are beyond parody. They seem like an elaborate troll and are so absurd that no one would believe them.
Spoke his first word at four, couldn't really speak until 12, couldn't read until 18. Somehow graduated university...with an undergrad in Phys Ed and Ethnic studies. The Phys Ed and Ethnic studies part was true.
Has Aspergers (wasn't a thing when he was diagnosed), epilepsy, brittle bones, TWO brain tumors and managed to run 30 marathons in 35 days, as well as completing 9 back to back ultra marathons.
Published 4 books. Published none.
Claims to be on a nationally televised show about 7 years old with learning disabilities. Something easily verified. He wasn't. No one checked.
Somehow gets a fully tenured professorship at one of the most prestigious and oldest universities in the world...without even an undergrad or masters in psychology or sociology.
And a whole lot more.
Sounds like an elaborate troll meant to lampoon the DEI hiring practices at the time. Something easily sussed out if anyone bothered to check anything.
What if it was?
The man who hired Arday and oversaw his department is Sir Simon Baron Cohen.
quote:
Sir Simon Baron-Cohen is a British psychologist and Director of the Autism Research Centre (ARC) at the University of Cambridge, where he is a professor of developmental psychopathology and a Fellow of Trinity College. He is widely known for his pioneering research on autism and empathy.
Familiar last name? Yep, that's Sascha Baron Cohen's (Borat) cousin. A man known for elaborate trolls and sticking to a longform bit and gradually upping the ante over time until the absurdity is off the charts.
What if this started off as a bit and spiraled out of control? What if the horse got the bit between his teeth and decided to run with his new found fame and influence?
Just asking questions.
10
Posted on 8/20/26 at 5:17 am to PurpleandGold Motown
That's alot for 5am.
Posted on 8/20/26 at 5:21 am to LSURoss
quote:
That's alot for 5am.
True. Been up since 4. This is my coffee and contemplation time before I get to work in 40 minutes. I have about 8 hours of video editing to do and I wanted to have a little fun before the slog.
Posted on 8/20/26 at 5:54 am to PurpleandGold Motown
Neat theory…
Since we’re going entertainment for theories..
Trading Places?
Since we’re going entertainment for theories..
Trading Places?
This post was edited on 8/20/26 at 5:55 am
Posted on 8/20/26 at 6:06 am to PurpleandGold Motown
Sounds plausible. Either way, his life was one big lie.
Posted on 8/20/26 at 6:18 am to PurpleandGold Motown
It’s an interesting theory. The whole thing is so outlandish that an elaborate conspiracy almost makes sense. But what was the off-ramp? What was the end goal?
The simpler explanation is that a really good liar found a university desperate for the perfect DEI success story. Once they bought in, questioning any part of it became socially and professionally dangerous. Then every award, interview, and promotion made admitting they had been fooled even harder.
The simpler explanation is that a really good liar found a university desperate for the perfect DEI success story. Once they bought in, questioning any part of it became socially and professionally dangerous. Then every award, interview, and promotion made admitting they had been fooled even harder.
Posted on 8/20/26 at 7:44 am to PurpleandGold Motown
It's very simple. They didn't mind promoting Arday and ignoring the glaring holes in his backstory until he signed a pro Palestine letter. Then, he was 'exposed.'
It's the same thing that happened to the plagiarist Claudine Gay at Harvard. They knew she was a fraud but didn't care until she showed support for Palestine over Israel.
It's the same thing that happened to the plagiarist Claudine Gay at Harvard. They knew she was a fraud but didn't care until she showed support for Palestine over Israel.
Posted on 8/20/26 at 7:55 am to PurpleandGold Motown
quote:This guy (Simon) just came up in a book I was reading, The Feather Thief. He diagnosed said thief with Aspergers for his defense
Sir Simon Baron-Cohen is a British psychologist and Director of the Autism Research Centre (ARC) at the University of Cambridge, where he is a professor of developmental psychopathology and a Fellow of Trinity College. He is widely known for his pioneering research on autism and empathy.
Familiar last name? Yep, that's Sascha Baron Cohen's (Borat) cousin.
Posted on 8/20/26 at 7:57 am to PurpleandGold Motown
The suicide at the end would have been a bit over the top.
Posted on 8/20/26 at 8:08 am to PurpleandGold Motown
SBC is not clever enough anymore to come up with this. Now, if you told me Nathan Fielder was behind the whole thing, different story
Posted on 8/20/26 at 8:10 am to RanchoLaPuerto
quote:
The suicide at the end would have been a bit over the top.
Committed to the bit
Posted on 8/20/26 at 8:19 am to PurpleandGold Motown
It made white Lib women feel better about themselves. That's all that mattered.
But, the chances of Borat's cousin doing just what you said aren't zero.
But, the chances of Borat's cousin doing just what you said aren't zero.
Posted on 8/20/26 at 8:20 am to PurpleandGold Motown
quote:
9 back to back ultra marathons.
Phone David Goggins on this or that new young kid Ultra Marathon runner.
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