Really? You don't see around you the "bro-grammer" culture, and the promo girls at tech trade shows? While, like you, I like to think I surround myself with like-minded rational people - and I honestly think I manage to do that in my social/friendship circles - it's _abundantly_ clear that there's many many people in programming/tech profession that'd laugh along with the comment related in the story.
I think your skepticism is misplaced.