Billionaires are members of a special club but that doesn’t mean they all get along.
Case in point; Mark Cuban and Bill Gates who both made fortunes in the tech industry and have become prolific investors and icons.
A story in Insider talks about a conference both men attended 23 years ago that was the last time they spoke to each other.
Cuban appeared on the “Full Send” podcast and told the story of what happened. Both men were invited to speak at the event, and Cuban told the event organizers that the only reason he would speak was that Gates was scheduled to give his presentation right before him.
Cuban had a joke locked and loaded, and the timing would be perfect. Here’s what he said on the podcast.
“So I get on there, and I say, ‘you know, I’m excited to say I’ve sold my company, and finally, after all these years, Bill Gates is my opening act.”
It’s a pretty funny line that would be brushed off by most people with an ounce of humility or a sense of humor. Gates is not one of those people, and apparently, his skin is as thin as the nerdy glasses he wore back in the day were thick.
Here’s more from Cuban on the podcast.
“Oh, he got so pissed, and I’ve never talked to him since… not to this day.”
You can see a scenario when they eventually will have a conversation someday, and no, not when and if the Microsoft founder needs to pitch a new business on Shark Tank, but when Gates begs Cuban to give away half his fortune, preferably to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
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