Is this true, Craig?

I'm unsure what wearing pants could possibly have to do with academic freedom, but in principle, this is true provided it is not against any university policy (or public law) governing decency.

Things that I've actually heard:

Drinking while driving a van full of students on a field trip in states where it is legal. When told that this was against University policy (and, well, good sense) academic freedom was invoked (though laughed at by administration).

Requiring a bottle of quality red wine at the start of teaching a course - provided through an expense account. Again, a matter of academic freedom - Denied.

If you have a same sex relationship with one of your students...it's not a breach of any contract, it's a matter of consenting adults and academic freedom and to question it is homophobia - Pardon?

Academic freedom can't be used to advance crazed theories about 9/11 attacks.

Using the last couple of weeks of classes for exams instead of the exam period - academic freedom (this one actually worked).

Not grading student work for, well, any variety of reasons, it not a issue of academic freedom.

If you google academic freedom and read a few of the policy pieces, you can put together the events that created the examples. There are some doozies. I see it as the responsibility to pursue research that may make people uncomfortable or pursuing those things that are controversial without threat of retribution. It's mostly there to prevent my colleagues from behaving like lunatics.

Well then the cartoon fits in with the ridiculousness you've actually experienced! I didn't actually expect that. Crazy stuff, what people try to get away with.

It's more like what they think they're entitled to that is the crazy part. See Big Bang Theory - Sheldon Parking Stall episode for a reasonable facsimile of what goes on in higher education. Let's not discuss tenure.