Van Doren's use of 'Easy' as adverb

Another poster stated that, during his statement to Congress, Van Doren uses the phrase "everything came too easy"--pointing out that this is unrealistic as an English professor would never say 'easy', but instead use 'easily'. I believe the use of 'easy' was intentional, and that this again points out why Quiz Show has such a well written script. Why the intentional use such a minor word? Van Doren's opposition to this kind of improper English is established a few scenes earlier when the president of NBC gives Van Doren a prepared statement to read to the press. Van Doren points out to the exec that there is a "split infinitive" in the middle of the statement. When Van Doren reads a prepared statement to Congress he purposely uses the incorrect English. Perhaps he uses poor English to ingratiate himself with the public--to whom the statement is actually aimed. Or maybe the statement is the one written for him and at that point he simply doesn't care. This is an extremely well written script and it seems no line or word is used without some purpose.
An earlier, corroborating example of this kind of pre-establishment is when the elder Van Doren says that he feels like "King Leopold being usurped while still alive", to which Van Doren replies "That makes me Baudouin." Later, on the show 21, Van Doren says he doesn't know that Baudouin is King of Belgium.