CARBONDALE, Ill. (WSIL) -- Hollywood star. Emmy winner. College graduate.
Actor, writer and comedian Bob Odenkirk finally received his bachelor's degree at SIU after 40 years of waiting.
After Monday night you can call him Dr. Odenkirk.
The university held a special commencement ceremony at the Banterra Center to honor Odenkirk's accomplishments. It drew more than 2,000 people, double the capacity of Shryock Auditorium where it was originally scheduled.
Fans showed off their shirts, signs and blankets showing the face of the actor's fictional character Saul Goodman from the hit AMC series Breaking Bad and its spin-off Better Call Saul.
Chancellor Austin Lane presented Odenkirk with a bachelor's degree from his graduating class of 1984 and an honorary doctorate Odenkirk was awarded in 2020. After the commencement ceremony Odenkirk took part in a live Q&A session with fans.
Odenkirk was in Carbondale Monday as the city proclaimed April 3 'Bob Odenkirk Day'. Odenkirk was honored with a key to the city to which he jokingly asked if it opened every door in town.
Afterwards Odenkirk spoke to students at the SIU Mass Communications Building and worked with theater students in a class.