So Travis the chimp isn’t the only one in Connecticut going apesh*t this week. On the heels of career win no. 799, Jim Calhoun had to deal with an itinerant political activist and freelance journalist (in that order), and man did Jim shut him down.

Ken Krayeske, a local personality best known for being arrested for breach of peace at the governor’s inaugural parade, tried to take Calhoun to task for his $1.6 million salary at a time when Connecticut’s budget deficit is soaring. Jim, as you’ll see, was having none of it.

Video after the jump.

At first Calhoun thinks it’s all a joke. “Not a dime back,” he says, insisting he wants to retire someday. And when asked if he thinks $1.5 million is enough, he responds “I make a lot more than that.”

It quickly takes on a third-grade sensibility:

“You’re not really that stupid, are you?”
“Yeah I am.”
“Okay. My best advice to you: shut up.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”

But then Calhoun goes for the jugular.

“Will you please? Quite frankly, we bring in $12 million to the university. Nothing to do with state funds. We make $12 million a year for this university. Get some facts and come back and see me…next question.”

Owned!

For Ken Krayeske, it’s certainly a story worth covering, but one wishes he were to do it in a manner that would call attention to his research, not he himself. Should a state university with such money issues be spending so much on athletics? I don’t know, and it’s something people should be talking about. But the way to do it isn’t by obtaining a photographer’s credential for the Hartford News (a publication I don’t know exists) then confronting Calhoun.

So. Jim Calhoun 1, media 0.