Bill Gates melts down when asked about the “I’m a Mac” ads
Posted by Dr. Macenstein
This one’s a little dated (March 12th, to be exact) but it’s still worth reading.
Remember that Newsweek interview in February with Bill Gates where he more or less went insane? Well, faithful Macenstein reader bilbo sent us a link to another classic interview between Advertising Age‘s Bob Garfield and Bill Gates. The interview covers the standard “How will tech evolve and change the world” topics we always see in Bill Gates interviews, but boy oh boy, does it end with a BANG! (At least from an Apple fanboy’s POV).
GARFIELD: I want to ask you one more thing: Those Mac ads — how do you feel about the John Hodgman character?
GATES: I can’t comment on someone else’s ad.
GARFIELD: OK … but he’s you.
GATES: Yeah, I’m not gonna comment on someone else’s ad.
GARFIELD: OK, well, Bill Gates, thank you so much for joining us.
(Silence)
GARFIELD: Can I just have a clean goodbye?
(Silence)
GARFIELD: OK, can you just say goodbye? Thank you or goodbye or something like that?
GATES: Goodbye.
Gee, wonder why he waited to close with that question? 🙂
Check out the entire interview here.
Oddly, Hodgman’s character is the more likeable of the two. I’m (still) astonished that the MS PR department hasn’t come up with a good-natured, humorous response for Gates (or one that he’s willing to use). We know Bill’s not as polished (slick?) as Jobs, but graceless, oafish behavior only makes matter worse.
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