The Most Awkward and Cringeworthy Interview of All Time
For your Friday afternoon amusement: Deborah Solomon interviews Goldman Sachs partner Abby Joseph Cohen
Here's an excerpt of the interview that was featured in the NYT Magazine.
Do you have a Facebook page?
No, I don’t. I don’t think we should talk about this. No one here is supposed to be talking about Facebook.
You’re referring to the fact that Goldman Sachs just withdrew its offer to American clients to sell shares of Facebook, which could violate all kinds of rules.
I can’t comment.
Do you think it’s ethically justifiable that certain bankers earn $50 million or $60 million a year at a time when unemployment is nearly 10 percent and income inequality is widening in this country?
The income inequality that you refer to is apparent in many different places. You see it in athletics; you see it in entertainment; you see it in your industry as well. You take a look at the compensation of C.E.O.’s of major corporations, recognizing that those corporations have become much larger —they do business in many different parts around the world — and it’s very difficult to know how to properly benchmark the compensation.
You could say that entertainers at least provide entertainment, as opposed to a C.E.O. What is a C.E.O. contributing to society?
What about the C.E.O. of the New York Times Company?
Incidentally, Deborah Solomon will no longer be conducting interviews for the NYT Magazine.
(h/t Chris Rovzar)
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Comments :
Jul '10
Re: The Most Awkward and Cringeworthy Interview of All Time
Well, Abby has a good point.
When actors like George Clooney, Matt Damon, Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie get $20 million for starring in stinkers like The American, The Green Zone and The Tourist, twenty-million-dollar bankers look like a bargain by comparison.
Jul '10
Re: The Most Awkward and Cringeworthy Interview of All Time
What on earth could Cohen have gained by giving any interview?
Jul '10
Re: The Most Awkward and Cringeworthy Interview of All Time
It's New York, man. If your name isn't in the Times on a regular basis, you end up at a table next to the kitchen.
Edited on Feb 4, 2011 at 2:02pmAug '10
Re: The Most Awkward and Cringeworthy Interview of All Time
Goldman Sachs is busy facilitating QE2. They are handling the sale from Client A to Client B of hundreds of billions of treasuries.
Guess who Client A is ?
Okay, now who is Client B ?
How much commission can you charge for that ? What about travel expense, or do you just walk across the hallway at 1500 Pennsylvania Ave. ?
Jul '10
Re: The Most Awkward and Cringeworthy Interview of All Time
Diane, it's a lousy interview, but it can't hold a candle to Matt Lauer's genuflection to Obama, when he asked "What do you like most about living in the White House?"
Nose, meet, um....
Jul '10
Re: The Most Awkward and Cringeworthy Interview of All Time
Kenneth It's New York, man. If your name isn't in the Times on a regular basis, you end up at a table next to the kitchen. · Feb 4 at 2:02pm
Edited on Feb 04 at 02:02 pm
Makes sense. Me and My Southern thinking....
Jul '10
Re: The Most Awkward and Cringeworthy Interview of All Time
Jimmy Carter
Kenneth It's New York, man. If your name isn't in the Times on a regular basis, you end up at a table next to the kitchen. · Feb 4 at 2:02pm
Edited on Feb 04 at 02:02 pm
Makes sense. Me and My Southern thinking.... · Feb 4 at 2:08pm
Yeah, you don't need to be a celebrity to get a decent table at Shoney's.
Re: The Most Awkward and Cringeworthy Interview of All Time
Kenneth: Diane, it's a lousy interview, but it can't hold a candle to Matt Lauer's genuflection to Obama, when he asked "What do you like most about living in the White House?"
Nose, meet, um.... · Feb 4 at 2:07pm
Also cringeworthy, but only for the viewers. I don't think that either Matt or Barack sensed the awkwardness of it.
Jul '10
Re: The Most Awkward and Cringeworthy Interview of All Time
Kenneth
Yeah, you don't need to be a celebrity to get a decent table at Shoney's. · Feb 4 at 2:13pm
A celebrity at Shoney's would get a table next to kitchen.
Jul '10
Re: The Most Awkward and Cringeworthy Interview of All Time
Kenneth Interviews Diane Ellis
Kenneth:
"I always was under the impression that Peter Robinson was a black guy. But turns out he isn't. What's up with that?"
Diane:
"You're confusing him with Eugene Robinson, of the New York Times."
Kenneth:
"And Rob Long. Does he want to direct movies now? Terrific writer....Happy Days..."
Diane:
"Actually, it was Cheers."
Kenneth:
"That episode with the shark. Comic gold. Say, what size shoes are you wearing?"
Diane:
"Is this some sort of Rex Ryan thing?"
Kenneth:
"No, no, nothing like that. Just that you have such tiny little, petite hoofies. I bet they smell like jasmine..."
Diane:
"Listen, I'm a little short on time here. Anything else you need to know?"
Kenneth:
"Yeah, what's the deal with Emily Esfahani-Smith and Salma Hayek? Some sort of smokin' L-word thing? Man, I wouldn't mind..."
Diane:
"Time to wrap this up, Bozo..."
Kenneth:
"Hey, well, thanks for your time. Um....you wouldn't want to just maybe slip off one of those shoes for second?'
Oct '10
Re: The Most Awkward and Cringeworthy Interview of All Time
The only thing amusing is that one can choose not spend money on stinky films...
Would suggest a pirate copy of some film if one wanted to see it that badly.
Not that one supports such actions, save it is fun to watch the greedy copyright folks get their undies in a twist...
Aug '10
Re: The Most Awkward and Cringeworthy Interview of All Time
Kenneth: Kenneth Interviews Diane Ellis
Kenneth:
"I always was under the impression that Peter Robinson was a black guy. But turns out he isn't. What's up with that?"
Diane:
"You're confusing him with Eugene Robinson, of the New York Times."
Kenneth:
"And Rob Long. Does he want to direct movies now? Terrific writer....Happy Days..."
Diane:
"Actually, it was Cheers."
Kenneth:
"That episode with the shark. Comic gold. Say, what size shoes are you wearing?"
Diane:
"Is this some sort of Rex Ryan thing?"
Kenneth:
"No, no, nothing like that. Just that you have such tiny little, petite hoofies. I bet they smell like jasmine..."
Diane:
"Listen, I'm a little short on time here. Anything else you need to know?"
Kenneth:
"Yeah, what's the deal with Emily Esfahani-Smith and Salma Hayek? Some sort of smokin' L-word thing? Man, I wouldn't mind..."
Diane:
"Time to wrap this up, Bozo..."
Kenneth:
"Hey, well, thanks for your time. Um....you wouldn't want to just maybe slip off one of those shoes for second?' · Feb 4 at 2:44pm
Kenneth Cole ?
Everybody wears black
Nov '10
Re: The Most Awkward and Cringeworthy Interview of All Time
That's nothing. Solomon is the queen of awkward interviews. Like this one with Seth MacFarlane (creator of Family Guy.)
Personally, I find the show’s rape jokes especially unfunny. In one episode, Peter learns that three co-eds were raped and murdered. He says to himself, “Everyone’s getting laid but me.” Why is that funny?
Because he’s so oblivious. You’re not laughing at rape; you’re laughing at him being an idiot.
In another episode, Peter asks, “Would you rather be black or crippled?” Why is that funny?
Once again, it all comes back to Peter’s obliviousness. If Peter meant that maliciously, then it wouldn’t be as funny. We try to keep it so that there’s an innocence to the way that he conducts himself.
Visually, do you think “Family Guy” is lesser than Matt Groening’s “Simpsons”?
Stylistically, I think we’re on par with each other.
I would say Groening is a better colorist. You don’t seem that interested in expressive color.
We try. If we’re not hitting that, then we probably have to turn up the dial a little bit, because I hope we are keeping ourselves saturated.
Jul '10
Re: The Most Awkward and Cringeworthy Interview of All Time
Jan-Michael Rives:
Personally, I find the show’s rape jokes especially unfunny. In one episode, Peter learns that three co-eds were raped and murdered. He says to himself, “Everyone’s getting laid but me.” Why is that funny?
Because he’s so oblivious. You’re not laughing at rape; you’re laughing at him being an idiot.
In another episode, Peter asks, “Would you rather be black or crippled?” Why is that funny?
Once again, it all comes back to Peter’s obliviousness. If Peter meant that maliciously, then it wouldn’t be as funny. We try to keep it so that there’s an innocence to the way that he conducts himself.
Visually, do you think “Family Guy” is lesser than Matt Groening’s “Simpsons”?
Stylistically, I think we’re on par with each other.
I've never seen either show. Thanks for reminding me....
Oct '10
Re: The Most Awkward and Cringeworthy Interview of All Time
I love that banker. Great retort: "What about the C.E.O. of the New York Times Company?"
Executive compensation is out of hand, but I don't see how price controls will fix it. We need to train more CEOs, not distort the CEO job market. Especially since price controls always ends in shortages--imagine our best people moving to companies in Europe, China, Brazil, etc.
I have no clue how we can "train more CEOs", but certainly that's what we need to do. Maybe if we lower the corporate tax rates more companies will move here, and that'll increase the CEO supply.
Jul '10
Re: The Most Awkward and Cringeworthy Interview of All Time
Joseph Eagar: I love that banker. Great retort: "What about the C.E.O. of the New York Times Company?"
Executive compensation is out of hand, but I don't see how price controls will fix it. We need to train more CEOs, not distort the CEO job market. Especially since price controls always ends in shortages--imagine our best people moving to companies in Europe, China, Brazil, etc.
As a human resources guy, let me tell you a dirty little secret. The compensation committees of the boards of public companies rely upon very highly-paid compensation consultants to tell them how much their CEO's should be paid.
The consultants, of course, aren't stupid. They know that if they recommend astronomical salaries, it will benefit the members of the board, who are largely also CEO''s of public companies. So, in order to keep their lucrative contracts, the consultants recommend outsized salaries, which then become the benchmark for members of the board's own salaries.
Win. Win. Win.
Dec '10
Re: The Most Awkward and Cringeworthy Interview of All Time
"Training more CEOs" is one of the things small businesses do. Sometimes the small business becomes another Microsoft or Oracle. Most of the time, obviously, it doesn't. But the school of hard knocks and reality education and the free market business experience many get from small business enterprises can in practice be significantly better than a Harvard MBA.
This one of the many reasons why it is important and critical to foster and support small businesses and entrepreneurship.
Edited on Feb 4, 2011 at 6:56pmOct '10
Re: The Most Awkward and Cringeworthy Interview of All Time
Nickolas, yeah! We over-protect large firms, so much that the firms themselves are becoming less profitable (financial crisis was influenced by a "profit crunch" if I remember right). Just look at GM. Or Dick Fuld of Lehman Brothers whining that "the government should have saved me!"
It's no wonder we seem to be running out of CEO capable of sustaining profits.
The corporatist philosophy is large firms employ the most people, pay the best wages, provide health care and pensions; essentially, act as a replacement for the nanny state. But in todays world, productivity is too high in large firms to employ everyone.
We need small-business solutions (like health exchanges, less regulatory burden, etc) where decentralized enterprises can thrive. Decentralized systems are far more productive (much less management overhead and waste, since the market substitutes a lof of the overhead from top-down, vertically integrated approaches).
Sep '10
Re: The Most Awkward and Cringeworthy Interview of All Time
I liked the last line about Ms. Solomon no longer doing interviews for NYT Magazine. It was priceless. The equivalent of a corrupt politician who, after being caught red handed in some scurrilous scandal, proclaims: "I am ending my campaign to spend more time with my family."
Sep '10
Re: The Most Awkward and Cringeworthy Interview of All Time
How I hate that the Times makes plurals of acronyms and years with apostrophes. It's one thing when it's done by someone who couldn't pick out either a plural or an apostrophe in a lineup. That the paper of record has made this abomination commonplace is something they would have to answer for, in a just world.