Scare-a-Mooch Tweet

Last week, UT Journalism students, professors, and alumni got a late gift in their Christmas stocking: a Twitter follow from Anthony Scaramucci. Confused? Yes, we mean the Mooch – the New York City wiseguy who took a cup of coffee over the summer as communications director in the White House.

Texas Student Television Associate News Director Sean Dolan tweeted a screenshot of Scaramucci’s account on Jan. 2, showing him as a follower and asking, understandably, for an explanation, which never came. Undergraduates, Ph.D. students, and even yours truly all got followed.

can I get uhhhh....explanation? pic.twitter.com/LjEqjDDDkT

— Sean (@itsseandolan) January 3, 2018

Wanda Cash, recently retired associate director of the journalism program, tagged Scaramucci directly the next day, hoping to get an explanation for the follow-spree. No response. After hours of silence, she wrote again, cheerfully thanking him “for the Follow.” You aren't a part of Longhorn Twitter until Cash sends you a welcome message.

What’s up with .@Scaramucci’s @UTJSchool following binge? Obviously attracted by our renowned repartee.

— Wanda Cash (@cashUT) January 3, 2018

It's still unclear what provoked Scaramucci's interest in UT journalism, since he secured a bachelor's degree from Tufts University (in Massachusetts) before trekking a few miles south to Harvard Law School. Could he be making a surprise comeback as the most famous adjunct UT has seen since Matthew McConaughey? We shall see.