I had a similar experience on a flight from SHV to DFW. I was sitting across the aisle from Coach Robinson and his wife. The flight attendant was going through her pre-flight speech about the seatbelts, exits, etc. While she was going through her talk Robinson was reading the newspaper. You could tell that she was getting irritated that he was blatantly not paying her any attention. After she completed the instructions she looked at him and said, "Sir, would you mind telling me anything that I just said?". He folded up the newspaper, placed it in his lap and proceeded to recite, verbatim, her speech back to her complete with the hand motions. It was awesome. She just stood there with the most stupid and embarrassed look of all time. He did not seem the least bit perturbed.
Once the flight took off a young Grambling alum came forward to introduce himself to Robinson. Both of them were headed to Chicago. Robinson was going for some event and the young man going to visit some friends. Robinson was super friendly to the point that he ended up inviting the young man to come to the event with him and his wife.
My girlfriend is a physical therapist that used to work in the Ruston area. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson were her patients for a time. She said that you could not meet a nicer pair of people.
I am sure that he is having issues from above with this hiring decision.