David Rancourt : “Controversial College Dean’s Disgusting Humor: Criticism for Stand-up Routine”

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In a recent development, David Rancourt, the dean of students at New College of Florida, has come under fire for his stand-up routine, which many have deemed offensive and embarrassing. The routine took place during a New College-sanctioned group comedy class at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, as reported by the Herald-Tribune.

According to the Herald-Tribune, Rancourt’s routine consisted of jokes that ranged from stories about exposing himself to a girl when he was a child to native Amazonians forcing themselves on his Peace Corps battalion. Some of the jokes were borrowed from comedians like Ron White and, oddly enough, former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

However, the routine faced criticism for being outdated. One YouTube user commented, “All of his jokes are old. The Susie joke is from the 1970s. The bull story he screwed up. It was a Jerry Clower joke from the early 1970s.”

Many comments expressed their disapproval of the routine, calling it “embarrassing for the college.” One commenter stated, “This guy is Dean of Students? His humor is disgusting,” while another described it as “cringey.”

It is worth noting that New College of Florida has undergone significant changes over the past year. Formerly known as a progressive school with a strong LGBTQ+ community, the college has faced a shift towards conservatism under the influence of Florida Governor DeSantis. The governor has accused the college of indoctrinating students with leftist ideology and has taken steps to make it more conservative, as reported by WFLA.

DeSantis appointed multiple new members to the Board of Trustees, who voted to remove then-president Patricia Okker from her position. Richard Corcoran, a former Republican speaker of the Florida House and DeSantis’ first Commissioner of Education, replaced Okker as the president. Interestingly, Corcoran received a salary that was more than double that of Okker.

Under the new administration, spending on diversity and equity programs was eliminated, and the chief diversity officer, who identified as a transgender person of color, was fired. This has led to concerns from students who claim that the college’s environment has become hostile towards the LGBTQ+ community.

Despite the backlash against Rancourt’s routine, New College has stood by the dean of students. In a statement to WFLA, New College spokesperson Nathan March emphasized the importance of free speech and free expression, stating, “Cancel culture is over at New College. Comedy is a work of art, one that is reliant on our society’s tenets of free speech and free expression. New College supports its students, faculty, and staff’s right to participate in artistic endeavors like a comedy performance, or any other civil exercising of free speech and free expression.”

However, not everyone is convinced by the college’s response. Mike Palmieri, an alum of New College, took to social media to criticize Rancourt’s routine and question his qualifications for the job. In a tweet, Palmieri described the routine as “tired homophobic jokes from the 1950s” and pointed out that Rancourt had no prior experience working at a college or university before his appointment last year.

David Rancourt became the Dean of Student Affairs at New College of Florida’s Sarasota campus in August 2023. Before that, he was a founding partner for a lobbying firm named The Southern Group and an alumnus of the University of Florida Political Campaigning Program. He has also held various political positions, including serving as the political director for Republican Congressman Mike Bilirakis and working alongside Richard Corcoran during Corcoran’s time as House Speaker and Education Commissioner.

The controversy surrounding Rancourt’s routine highlights the ongoing tensions and changes at New College of Florida. As the college navigates its transformation under a more conservative administration, it remains to be seen how these changes will impact the institution’s reputation and relationship with its student body.