Silicon Valley star Kumail Nanjiani says Elon Musk hated HBO satire | Latest Tech News
Elon Musk hated HBO’s “Silicon Valley” so a lot that he reportedly felt compelled to gripe about its satirical portrayal of lame “tech bro” events — and brag to the show’s star about the superior shindigs he has attended himself.
Kumail Nanjiani said that the world’s richest mogul complained to him that the tech gatherings depicted on the HBO comedy have been nothing like his exclusive billionaire bashes.
“He was like, all the parties I go to are much cooler than these parties,” Nanjiani, 47, told comic Mike Birbiglia on his podcast last week about assembly Musk.
Kumail Nanjiani, star of the hit HBO satire “Silicon Valley,” said that Elon Musk panned the show. YouTube / Mike Birbiglia
Musk supposedly told Nanjiani, that “all the parties I go to are much cooler than these parties.” AP
The “Silicon Valley” star had the right comeback: “I was like, yeah man, you’re one of the richest people in the world. We’re, like, losers on the show. Of course your parties are better than my parties.”
Nanjiani’s revelation provides a uncommon glimpse into Musk’s pondering on how Hollywood portrays the tech elite — even in a show that never truly featured him as a character.
The Tesla CEO’s response sparked renewed curiosity in the real Silicon Valley social gathering scene, which in years past has gained notoriety for pushing boundaries far past what HBO ever confirmed.
“Silicon Valley,” which was created by Mike Judge of “Beavis and Butt-Head” fame, ran for 53 episodes across six seasons from 2014 to 2019.
The collection adopted Richard Hendricks, an awkward programmer building a startup called Pied Piper with his misfit pals.
The show earned 5 consecutive Emmy nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series by savagely mocking “brogrammer culture” and the eccentricities of tech billionaires.
While Musk never appeared as a character, the collection featured numerous fictional moguls like Gavin Belson of “Hooli” who parodied traits related with real tech titans.
Nanjiani revealed he’d met a number of Silicon Valley heavyweights during the show’s run, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. But Musk stood out for his significantly adverse response, according to the actor.
The HBO show significantly irritated Musk with its opening scene that includes Kid Rock performing at a sparsely attended tech social gathering, according to Nanjiani.
“The first scene of the show is — it’s such a funny opening — it’s Kid Rock playing on stage,” Nanjiani explained, “and then it cuts to the audience and it’s at, clearly, some tech party. There’s seven nerdy dudes standing there, (and) nobody’s paying attention.”
“Elon was upset. He was like, ‘Well, the parties I go to are much cooler than these parties,’” the “Big Sick” star recalled.
Nanjiani is seen alongside co-stars Martin Starr (left) and Thomas Middleditch (proper) in a scene from “Silicon Valley.” AP
“It was like, ‘Yeah man, you’re one of the richest people in the world. We’re like losers on the show. Of course your parties are better than my parties. What are you talking about?’”
Back in 2014, Musk confirmed up at a particular screening of “Silicon Valley” and made it clear he wasn’t impressed, according to Vox.
Speaking to reporters afterward, Musk complained that Judge had missed the essence of the tech world’s social gathering scene.
“I really feel like Mike Judge has never been to Burning Man, which is Silicon Valley,” Musk said at the afterparty.
While Musk never appeared as a character, the collection featured numerous fictional moguls like Gavin Belson of “Hooli” who parodied traits related with real tech titans.
“If you haven’t been, you just don’t get it. You could take the craziest LA party and multiply it by a thousand, and it doesn’t even get fucking close to what’s in Silicon Valley. The show didn’t have any of that.”
Musk contrasted Silicon Valley’s social tradition with Hollywood’s, including: “The parties in Silicon Valley are amazing because people don’t care about how they’re perceived socially, which I don’t think Mike got. Hollywood is a place where people always care about what the public will think of them, and it’s f–king sad, and the show felt more like that.”
“I’ve lived in Hollywood 12 years, and I’ve never been to a f–king good party,” Musk said.
He even went so far as to counsel he’d personally take Judge to Burning Man—though it’s unknown if the offer was ever taken up.
The billionaire’s criticism about social gathering accuracy turns into more intriguing contemplating what actually goes down at elite tech gatherings.
Emily Chang’s explosive 2018 e-book “Brotopia” uncovered secretive Silicon Valley events that includes drug use and open inappropriate habits among enterprise capitalists and founders.
Back in 2014, Musk confirmed up at a particular screening of “Silicon Valley” and made it clear he wasn’t impressed. AP
These occasions allegedly concerned MDMA and “cuddle puddles” encouraging intimacy, with girls reporting feeling pressured to take part.
Chang claimed Musk attended at least one such gathering in 2017 at investor Steve Jurvetson’s home — though Musk vigorously disputed her characterization.
The SpaceX founder insisted he thought it was a costume social gathering and noticed nothing inappropriate before leaving early.
“Nerds on a couch are not a ‘cuddle puddle,’” Musk told Wired in 2018.
“I was hounded all night by DFJ-funded entrepreneurs, so went to sleep around 1am. Nothing remotely worth writing about happened.”
His reference to Draper Fisher Jurvetson-funded entrepreneurs suggests even Musk’s “cooler” events contain relentless networking and startup pitches. DFJ is a outstanding Silicon Valley enterprise capital firm that funds technology startups.
The Post has sought remark from Nanjiani and Musk.
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