Jerry Falwell Jr. Photo Called 'So Gross'

The week didn't get off to the best start for Liberty University thanks to this Slate article about Black athletes leaving the school. But now these headlines: Ones about the university's president, Jerry Falwell Jr., who allegedly posted a photo of himself on a yacht with his pants unzipped and his arm around a woman; both are bearing their midriffs. The caption of the Instagram photo, which appeared a series: "More vacation shots. Lots of good friends visited us on the yacht. I promise that's just black water in my glass. It was a prop only.” The image was flagged on Twitter by Houston Chronicle religion reporter Rob Downen late Sunday night with a three-word caption: "wut is happening."

The image no longer appears on Falwell's Instagram account, though other images that appear to be from the same yacht holiday are still live. Politico reports the photo is seemingly "a parody of or reference to" the TV comedy Trailer Park Boys and suggests those aboard the yacht were in costume. Politico reports Liberty University had no comment but points out the school's own code of conduct prohibits students from partaking in media containing sexual content. The Hill flags a tweet in response from Meghan McCain: "How is this Jerry Falwell Jr. photo even real? Also if you're running the largest Christian university in America maybe don't put photos of yourself on social media with your pants undone on a yacht—with random women in bad wigs. So gross, so hypocritical.” (More Jerry Falwell Jr. stories.)