If you haven’t already read it, this week’s New York Magazine profile of “misunderstood creature” and Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein by Jessica Pressler is many things, but most prominently: weirdly fun, especially concerning a revelation about Mr. Blankfein’s pop culture proclivities.
Highlights include the Catskills-esque banter between himself and GS mouthpiece Lucas Van Praag, the foxhole-perspective on being assaulted by nuns and the infamous Evelyn Davis, and of course, some insight into the question every profile should answer: Who is this person? And the answer?
A Lady Gaga fan and friend of 50 Cent:
By 16, he was already at Harvard, where he earned a reputation for his ability to memorize television jingles and popular songs. This, by the way, is a talent he still retains. “I was born this way,” Blankfein sings at the diner. “Born this way …” He recently attended a Lady Gaga concert with his 17-year-old daughter. “I am one with the popular culture,” he says. (He also once met 50 Cent at a play, where they discussed “businessy things.” “He’s an impressive kid. And by the way, it’s Fitty Cent. Fitty.”)
Born this way indeed. And really: 50 Cent and Lloyd have a few things in common. Mr. Cent has been viewed skeptically with regards to money. As has Mr. Blankfein! And come to think of it, Ms. Gaga only compounds the curious trifecta with the narrow differences of their lives.
As such, we’ve visualized what data we can gather on three for a comparative analysis.
Click to enlarge:
fkamer@observer.com | @weareyourfek
