Some New York Times readers are rightfully aghast today at the beginning of Maureen Dowd's column about the Jerry Sandusky trial, titled "American Horror Story." The setup is serious, and then the punch line drops with a hollow thud:

Standing a few feet away from Jerry Sandusky, as he laughed and reminisced with friends in the front row of the courtroom, made me want to take a shower.

Just not in the Penn State locker room.

What follows are legitimately horrifying details from the court room, leading Dowd to conclude, "It was an open joke in Penn State football circles that you shouldn't drop your soap in the shower when Jerry was around. Only the boys in the shower weren't laughing." Talk about your mixed messages.