This is hardly unique to POC. Some white people do that too--anything for the seat at the table, anything to ingratiate yourself more with the people of greater power (and, usually, little regard for how you treat those of lesser power, unless those of greater power care about that most, in which case they treat everyone spectacularly at least while being observed).

It might manifest a little differently depending on one's personal details (who one is, which table one's aiming for this time). But it happens all the time, though usually not in quite such dramatic fashion as with your Non-Professor.