Carell’s ‘Rooster’ Mocks Woke College Students (Or Does It?)

“Rooster” had to go there eventually. It’s hard to set a comedy on a modern campus without showing how students walk on eggshells for fear of offending someone. And so do the professors … especially if they’re straight white males. So Greg Russo (Steve Carell), a straight white male visiting professor at the fictional Ludlow College, eventually ran afoul of the woke bylaws. Twice in a single episode of the HBO Max comedy. Three times, in a way. Mild story spoilers ahead. Greg finally steps into a classroom in the show’s third episode as part of his visiting professor duties. He’s nervous and relies heavily on prepared notes, but in the middle of one conversation refers to a slim blonde student, who previously taunted him, as his “white whale.” It’s an obvious reference to “Moby Dick” and