Thursday, October 17, 2013

Snubbed Celebrity: Bill Gates



In the 2010 Swedish crime thriller Easy Money (original title: Snabba Cash), there is a scene in the film that shows some business school students relaxing in a bar. One of the young men relates the following anecdote (which I’ve taken from the English subtitles):

“This investment guy has an unusual fetish – bridge – but he’s too busy for the world championships in Cannes. And this pencil-pusher at work, a real plodder named Lasse, the type who calls champagne ‘snob water’…They start talking, and it turns out that Lasse loves bridge, so he sends Lasse to Cannes to play bridge. So boring old Lasse’s in Cannes and he needs to take a leak. And who does he meet in the can but Bill fucking Gates!”

“A true story!” interjects another student.

“Gates is pissing right next to him. He can’t pass up this opportunity. So he goes, ‘Hello, Bill. I’m Lasse. Can you come up to my table?’ Ten minutes later, and guess who shows up? Bill Gates. He goes, ‘Hello, Lasse.’ Lasse studies his hand, looks up at Bill, and says, “Fuck off, Bill!’”