65-Year-Old Dinosaur Expert Marries 19-Year-Old Student
- Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:00pm by
Mytheos Holt
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19-year-old Vanessa Weaver had better brace herself for a lot of jokes about being a “dinosaur lover.” The teenage co-ed just got married to no less an eminence than Jack Horner, the famous paleontologist who consulted on the Jurassic Park series of movie. The two apparently met while Weaver was interning for Horner, who she now describes as her “best friend.”
However, the marriage has some people raising eyebrows. Why? Because Horner is 46 years older than his bride. For comparison, here’s a wedding photo of the two:
Jezebel gives us a few more details about this rather unconventional pairing:
According to the awesomely-namedBozeman Magpie, Weaver was Horner’s intern at the Museum of the Rockies, where he’s curator of paleontology. She’s also apparently a student at Montana State University, where Horner teaches, but it’s not clear whether she was ever his student. However, she does describe herself on Twitter as “Referred to by Dr. Jack Horner as his ‘protege.’” The passive voice makes this bio line a little creepy — that may be what he calls her, but what does she call herself?
Beyond that, though, there‘s a difference between Weaver’s Twitter and that of fellow May-December bride Courtney Stodden — Weaver’s is actually pretty cool. She talks about processing a Triceratops (“trike”) tibia. She writes, “Are you aware that there is a Leonard Nimoy signed graphic novel in my bag? I about choked on air when I saw it.” She says she’s going to be in Jurassic Park 4. Basically, she sounds like a huge nerd, which means that a) she and Horner obviously share interests and b) she’s a lot more appealing than a certain siren who tweets about sunning herself sensuously all the goddamn time.
Of course, her Twitter handle is Dinogirl2010 — which might be the year she graduated from high school (that year, Jack Horner would’ve been 63). And her Twitter account is almost totally devoted to comments about him — her very first tweet is “Paleontologist, Dr. Jack Horner (JP advisor), likes this poster and I’m going to get it for him.” Weaver seems to idolize Horner. Frankly, lots of people do — he’s a dinosaur expert. But in a marriage, that could lead to some difficult power dynamics — especially when one spouse has 46 years on the other.
And here’s Weaver in her own words:
It is true, I am married. What people don’t know is the reason I got married. I love him and he is my best friend. Judge all you want about the age difference. It wont matter. He is not my advisor, teacher, employer, and has no say in my grades at MSU. Aside from all of that, I’ve taken the semester off to do my research and let things simmer down. There is no reason to ‘lose respect’ for him. He is still the great paleontologist he has always been. If you want to know why I married him, send me a messege and I’ll reply in private. If you could all just be happy for us instead of judging with your negativity, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
No doubt, some people will find it terrifying that a professor at a taxpayer-funded university can marry a girl old enough to be one of his students. And if there were evidence of any wrongdoing or coerion on Horner’s part, this story would definitely set off our creep radar. However, given Weaver appears to be, for all intents and purposes, a consenting adult, the only thing we can wonder is how on earth she’s going to handle the grief when this particular dinosaur goes extinct.
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Comments (187)
goodgrubguy
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 8:08pmNow that is a great teacher! Anyone that can make her love dinasoars that much………
Report Post »jhaydeng
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 8:27pmJack Horner is his real name? Smart girl marrying a guy who looks to be in tremendous physical shape!
Report Post »AOL_REFUGEE
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 8:31pmAs Lloyd Christmas would say, “So, you‘re sayin’ there’s a chance? I read ya. I read ya.”
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 8:50pmLots of Viagra to keep his errrr…… bones fossil like…
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 10:26pmLittle Jack Horner
Sat in the corner
Eating the apple
Of his eye
He stuck in his crumb
Report Post »She was struck dumb
He keeled over
She cashed in his pie
missytracy1990
Posted on May 1, 2012 at 8:02amYou people are late to the game. This happened in January. She ran off on March 25. He lured her back on April 24th. Now they are seeing lawyers to end it……To no one’s surprise!!
Report Post »starman70
Posted on May 1, 2012 at 8:13amJust ’cause there‘s snow on the roof doesn’t mean the fires out in the furnace.
Report Post »Secret Squirrel
Posted on May 1, 2012 at 9:38amMaybe there’s hope for me.
Report Post »oldguy49
Posted on May 1, 2012 at 10:36amnow she will be digging for old bones
Report Post »rangerp
Posted on May 1, 2012 at 10:37amDonald Trump pulls this stund every few years. Nothing new
Report Post »mikelivi
Posted on May 1, 2012 at 10:42amHey if you cant find a good woman…..raise one……..
Report Post »Ruler4You
Posted on May 1, 2012 at 10:46amReproductively, a smart move. The ‘epi genome’ has likely been fully, or nearly fully, developed. Providing offspring with a good chance at being of higher intelligence than the offspring of children, say in their 20s.
Only time will tell, though.
Report Post »FormerLib
Posted on May 1, 2012 at 11:05amHim:” let’s grab an 8 track tape of Peter and Gordon .a bottle of cabernet, and get busy!”
Report Post »Her: “Wait, there’s a live feed of Gaga on my iphone!”
Him: “Record it on the VCR. You can watch it later.”
Her: “Will you buy me a horse? I want to raise horses and work for world peace.”
Him: “We’ll see. Come to bed!”
Her: “M-kay. Right after Phineas and Ferb.”
biohazard23
Posted on May 1, 2012 at 11:30am“Hey, Ferb, I know what we’re going to do today!”
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on May 1, 2012 at 11:33amHmmm, my girlfriend is 22 years my junior, but 46 ? Good grief…… But who am I to judge !!!!!
Report Post »TheRickster
Posted on May 1, 2012 at 11:53amShouldn’t the bi-line read: “19 year old student marries 65 year old dinosaur”?
Report Post »up-on-news
Posted on May 1, 2012 at 6:29pmMarrage did not last long. Guess she realized being in Paris with an “old Man” on viaga wasn’t exactly what a 19 year old had in mind for her life. She left for her home and family about three weeks ago. Her explanation was “Freedom!!“ Guess ”Star Power” isn’t that great, afterall.
Report Post »Cherry Hill Guy
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 8:08pmI hear she has an interest in old fossils.
Report Post »GLENNS_FUTURE_BABY_MOMMA
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 10:40pmYou just jealous Cherry ’cause you ain’t got a young, hot piece of a$$ like he done got. I bet yo woman as dry is some old sandpaper.
Report Post »VoteRightDammit
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 8:06pmVeloco-raper
Report Post »4xeverything
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 8:56pmEnsure-asaurus marries pediasurus rex
Report Post »Skee
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 8:03pmThere‘s only one dinosaur bone she’s interested in.
Report Post »Let‘s hope it stays fossilized or she’s gone.
JACKTHETOAD
Posted on May 1, 2012 at 12:06amBehold, the Golden Dinosaur.
Report Post »RightPolitically
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:50pmYouth rules sexuality. Here’s why: youthful women are most likely to ovulate and produce eggs for males to impregnate. That is what drives normal sexual desire in a man. Society may scoff at a May/December relationship, but “nature” understands. Unfortunately for many women who wait and wait to have children, the reality of waiting too long is all too familiar.
Report Post »ashestoashes
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 8:05pmThe wedding photo is stunning really..It denotes class and elegance…and something obviously clicked..Remember the story of Mary Kay Luterno? I wish them all the best..
Report Post »Jackie Rogers, Jr.
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 8:07pmI don’t think his biological imperative is the baffling part here.
Report Post »Melvin Spittle
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 8:52pmI must be crazy, but if it were my daughter, this would not happen. Either he would thinking with his shriveled worm and leave, or he would be feeding the worms.
Report Post »kryptonite
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 11:06pm@Melvin Spittle
Report Post »The perspective does change considerably when it’s your own beautiful, young daughter wanting to marry Viagrasaurus Sex. I would have made sure he opted for Plan B which was to SIUHA.
vtxphantom
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:47pmJust wrong on so many levels. I wish them many years of happiness, but somehow I think his time will be short
Report Post »RightPolitically
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 8:00pmYeah. But it will be happy for the old geezer.
Report Post »Texas Chris
Posted on May 1, 2012 at 11:37amHe’ll die with a smile on his face. She’ll get the life insurance and rights to his movie royalties.
Are they in love? Immaterial.
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:46pmPass the viagra!
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:44pmWell they waited for 65 & 19… at 58 & 12 the Cow would have jumped over the moon!
Report Post »CatB
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:55pmThink she married him for his Social Security check? ;-)
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 8:15pm@CATB
Report Post »LOL :) No… it’s probably an adoration of one in a position of Respect & Power!
Liberty1791
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:38pmHe will need lots of naps and many blue pills to keep her happy. Eeeeeewwwwww.
Report Post »mrmarkjohnson
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:38pmGood for him (and her). Why is this a news story? Anyone want to do a story on the history of man-female relationships in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints? Judge not, lest ye be judged yourself.
Report Post »Melvin Spittle
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 8:46pmWould you feel the same if it was your daughter? If she were my daughter I would have one talk with the pervert and if he had any sense, he would be gone. If not, the desert is a huge place.
Report Post »idarusskie
Posted on May 1, 2012 at 12:52amYou are confusing the fundamentalist Mormon and their leader jeffs with the LDS church.
Report Post »mzk1
Posted on May 1, 2012 at 2:16amConsidering what else happens at universities, this is minor. At least he married her.
(If you – like myself – hapen to belong to one of those vanishing groups that still practices old-fashioned morality pretty consistently, so that an unmarried non-virgin (male or female) is still on the level of a scandal, then it is another matter.)
Report Post »FEWL
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:34pmIts all fun and games when its SOMEONE else’ daughter!
Report Post »Melvin Spittle
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 8:48pmagreed. I cannot believe the comments that are being made. I would love to ask her father only two questions: why is this pervert married to your daughter and do you need help digging the hole?
Report Post »lel2007
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:28pmLucky 65 year old.
Report Post »riseandshine
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:36pmWhile it lasts.
Report Post »hi
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 8:07pmUnlucky 19 year old.
Report Post »Dave.the.Blaze
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:27pmIt’s a classic Jurassic–Cretaceous relationship. I hope they both evolve.
Report Post »disenlightened
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:25pmHe’d be much older than her parents. I wonder if her father gave her away? I couldn’t do it…give her away.
Report Post »mattmo79
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:24pmNothing like going out with a bang!!
Report Post »bluesdog
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 8:07pmBad pun!
Report Post »liberalescheisskopf
Posted on May 1, 2012 at 11:48amCan you say ‘Chest pains’?
Report Post »Mad_as_Hell...
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:23pmHey, I just looked… neither of their names appear on my taxes. So God bless them both.
Report Post »captaincameron
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:28pmA-freaking-men.
Report Post »Texas Chris
Posted on May 1, 2012 at 11:38amWell… he works at a tax funded college…
But yeah, point well made.
Report Post »BigFoot
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:22pmMaybe she is the dinosaur expert…..
Report Post »CatB
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:49pmLOL .. yup . she married one! The jokes kind of write themselves don’t they! ;-)
Report Post »godhatesacoward
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:21pmPretty work pops.
Report Post »HorseCrazy
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:16pmI don’t know why everyone seems to get so worked up about age differences. for thousands of years girls were married at 13 and to older men. the only part of this story that could be construed as iffy morally would be the fact she was interning for him. I am just not quite sure why it is such a big deal in today’s society or people are labeled as having “issues” if they go against societal norms. Maybe we should do stories on why women feel like they should wait to even think about babies until they are in their 30′s and their biological clock is ticking instead of using their eggs in prime baby making years
Report Post »Weiners Wiener
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:29pmYou don’t? Because he’ll get her pregnant, then die of old age when their child is 5 years old. Then their child will grow up without a father. I guess I think that’s kind of a big deal when the risk can so easily be reduced by simply sticking with people that arw within, say, 20 years of your age. Seriously. Are you for real?
Report Post »ColoradoMaverick
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:32pmWhy not, it worked for Clinton.
Report Post »Jackie Rogers, Jr.
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:59pmRe: WEINERS WIENER’s post,
Report Post »And what are they going to listen to in the car?
kryptonite
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 10:45pm@HORSECRAZY
Back then girls didn’t get married to older men of their own free will. They didn’t get to choose (and in many parts of the world they still don’t). In India, e.g., young girls were burned alive together with their husbands when the old f*rts died. And you know about Muhammad…
That girl was dazzled either by fame or by fortune. Even from the male POV, if you are that old you cannot keep up sexually with a teenager. Grow up, dude.
Report Post »JACKTHETOAD
Posted on May 1, 2012 at 12:19am@Jackie – Don’t believe the LIES. I‘m lawyerin’-up tomorrow.
Report Post »XdemXrepub
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:13pmI leave all the “bone jokes to others”.
But appears she has an affinity for old fossils
Report Post »Mr.Fitnah
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:12pmFine with me, seems like a match.
Report Post »nzkiwi
Posted on May 1, 2012 at 3:18amMe too.
Good luck to them both.
Report Post »welovetheUSA
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:09pmInteresting……….
Report Post »Old Truckers
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:07pmHe looks happy :-)
Report Post »Welcome Black Carter
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 8:52pmIt’s a free country. It’s legal. Knock yourselves out!
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:04pmI guess you don‘t need Viagra if it’s already fossilized….
Report Post »bluesdog
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 8:09pmThe-Monk- Funny!
Report Post »Mark0331
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:03pmThey look like father and daughter….oh well, Love is blind.
Report Post »TSUNAMI-22
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 7:15pm…and divorce has x-ray vision.
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