As if Matthew Fox doesn't face enough obstacles in his life these days. You know, with the whole being-locked-up-by-The-Others thing.

Now, the star of Lost is being dissed - and dismissed, no less - by students at Columbia University.

The Ivy League school has asked Fox to speak at its graduation ceremony this year. But many students feel as though this is somehow a step down from last year's speaker: John McCain. One smartie wrote in the Columbia Spectator:

"I've never heard of this guy. The years before got a Pulitzer Prize-winner and a potential presidential candidate. I suppose that after what happened last year, they wanted someone less controversial."

Hey, we understand preferring someone with more to say than an actor - but this book worm has been stuck in a library for far too long if he hasn't even heard of Fox. What's next, shock over Antonella Barba pictures?

No idea who Lauren Conrad is?

We say Columbia should ask The Hollywood Gossip staff to speak at graduation instead. Otherwise, these kids will never be ready for the real world.