thank you very nice warm introduction I just wanted to thank Hofstra University
just wanted to thank Hofstra University
just wanted to thank Hofstra University for making this opportunity possible and
for making this opportunity possible and
for making this opportunity possible and as you mentioned I graduated in 89 very
as you mentioned I graduated in 89 very
as you mentioned I graduated in 89 very fun memories what I’d like to talk about
fun memories what I’d like to talk about
fun memories what I’d like to talk about today is what I call the hindsight fund
today is what I call the hindsight fund
today is what I call the hindsight fund and how you can use humor in day to day
and how you can use humor in day to day
and how you can use humor in day to day experiences if you do what you do on a
experiences if you do what you do on a
experiences if you do what you do on a day-to-day basis the question is how do
day-to-day basis the question is how do
day-to-day basis the question is how do you maintain your sanity and your
you maintain your sanity and your
you maintain your sanity and your humanity and my solution is to invest
humanity and my solution is to invest
humanity and my solution is to invest humor in everything seriously the
humor in everything seriously the
humor in everything seriously the hindsight fund is a construct that I
hindsight fund is a construct that I
hindsight fund is a construct that I came up with several years ago and it’s
came up with several years ago and it’s
came up with several years ago and it’s simply a place for me to store the
simply a place for me to store the
simply a place for me to store the interesting opportunities and
interesting opportunities and
interesting opportunities and experiences that I’ve had throughout my
experiences that I’ve had throughout my
experiences that I’ve had throughout my business career in it you might find
business career in it you might find
business career in it you might find Bitcoin or some Microsoft stock or stock
Bitcoin or some Microsoft stock or stock
Bitcoin or some Microsoft stock or stock from the Facebook IPO you might even
from the Facebook IPO you might even
from the Facebook IPO you might even find a nice Tribeca loft in the
find a nice Tribeca loft in the
find a nice Tribeca loft in the hindsight fund but I’ll get back to the
hindsight fund but I’ll get back to the
hindsight fund but I’ll get back to the hind side fund a little bit later first
hind side fund a little bit later first
hind side fund a little bit later first I’d like to provide for you some
I’d like to provide for you some
I’d like to provide for you some historical context as to how this all
historical context as to how this all
historical context as to how this all came about so I was born into a family
came about so I was born into a family
came about so I was born into a family of comedians and they’re not
of comedians and they’re not
of comedians and they’re not professional comedians but amateur
professional comedians but amateur
professional comedians but amateur closeted comedians if you will we had
closeted comedians if you will we had
closeted comedians if you will we had dinner Queens New York we had family
dinner Queens New York we had family
dinner Queens New York we had family dinners and they weren’t so much dinners
dinners and they weren’t so much dinners
dinners and they weren’t so much dinners we had cousins there they weren’t so
we had cousins there they weren’t so
we had cousins there they weren’t so much family dinners they were really
much family dinners they were really
much family dinners they were really open mic nights and we would just spend
open mic nights and we would just spend
open mic nights and we would just spend hours trying to make each other laugh
hours trying to make each other laugh
hours trying to make each other laugh and this distracted us from eating which
and this distracted us from eating which
and this distracted us from eating which if you saw the food maybe it wasn’t such
if you saw the food maybe it wasn’t such
if you saw the food maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing but nonetheless we carried
a bad thing but nonetheless we carried
a bad thing but nonetheless we carried on humor was ingrained in us
on humor was ingrained in us
on humor was ingrained in us and it carried through to my first job
and it carried through to my first job
and it carried through to my first job at the age of 12 which was at my
at the age of 12 which was at my
at the age of 12 which was at my father’s deli also in Queens New York
father’s deli also in Queens New York
father’s deli also in Queens New York and we used humor there as well I guess
and we used humor there as well I guess
and we used humor there as well I guess it was a coping mechanism a way to deal
it was a coping mechanism a way to deal
it was a coping mechanism a way to deal with the customers that were from the
with the customers that were from the
with the customers that were from the neighborhood and were challenging let’s
neighborhood and were challenging let’s
neighborhood and were challenging let’s just say but we used humor when the
just say but we used humor when the
just say but we used humor when the customers would challenge us or ask us
customers would challenge us or ask us
customers would challenge us or ask us or joke with us and say you’re only 12
or joke with us and say you’re only 12
or joke with us and say you’re only 12 years old isn’t that child labor and we
years old isn’t that child labor and we
years old isn’t that child labor and we would laugh and respond and say well we
would laugh and respond and say well we
would laugh and respond and say well we call it quality family time
call it quality family time
call it quality family time anyway early on in my career humor
anyway early on in my career humor
anyway early on in my career humor became not just a coping mechanism but a
became not just a coping mechanism but a
became not just a coping mechanism but a method of interaction and creating
method of interaction and creating
method of interaction and creating strong interpersonal relationships in
strong interpersonal relationships in
strong interpersonal relationships in both a business setting and a personal
both a business setting and a personal
both a business setting and a personal setting so this continued on to the
setting so this continued on to the
setting so this continued on to the early days of my career and as I
early days of my career and as I
early days of my career and as I transitioned through high school and
transitioned through high school and
transitioned through high school and university I came here at Hofstra came
university I came here at Hofstra came
university I came here at Hofstra came upon a fraternity called Alpha Kappa Psi
upon a fraternity called Alpha Kappa Psi
upon a fraternity called Alpha Kappa Psi and as a business fraternity co-ed and a
and as a business fraternity co-ed and a
and as a business fraternity co-ed and a woman in this fraternity from Brooklyn
woman in this fraternity from Brooklyn
woman in this fraternity from Brooklyn she introduced me to this concept of a
she introduced me to this concept of a
she introduced me to this concept of a finance company on Wall Street and she
finance company on Wall Street and she
finance company on Wall Street and she said here’s what these people are making
said here’s what these people are making
said here’s what these people are making their first year out of school and I
their first year out of school and I
their first year out of school and I said nobody I said nobody makes that
said nobody I said nobody makes that
said nobody I said nobody makes that kind of money at a school first year
kind of money at a school first year
kind of money at a school first year it’s just not possible
it’s just not possible
it’s just not possible she said well at this place it is so I
she said well at this place it is so I
she said well at this place it is so I figured ok I can curb my comedic
figured ok I can curb my comedic
figured ok I can curb my comedic inclinations and focus on getting into
inclinations and focus on getting into
inclinations and focus on getting into this place and my view was once you get
this place and my view was once you get
this place and my view was once you get in you’re in so just get in so I figured
in you’re in so just get in so I figured
in you’re in so just get in so I figured out a way to get into this company and I
out a way to get into this company and I
out a way to get into this company and I figured let me just put the comedy on
figured let me just put the comedy on
figured let me just put the comedy on hold for now and I can always circle
hold for now and I can always circle
hold for now and I can always circle back to that at some point in the future
back to that at some point in the future
back to that at some point in the future well the comedy emerged fairly early on
well the comedy emerged fairly early on
well the comedy emerged fairly early on one of my first bosses came up to me and
one of my first bosses came up to me and
one of my first bosses came up to me and this now just understand the context
this now just understand the context
this now just understand the context it’s a finance company it’s very serious
it’s a finance company it’s very serious
it’s a finance company it’s very serious place not only was I doing finance but I
place not only was I doing finance but I
place not only was I doing finance but I was also doing insurance so you kind of
was also doing insurance so you kind of
was also doing insurance so you kind of put them together and it’s very
put them together and it’s very
put them together and it’s very difficult to comprehend how exciting
difficult to comprehend how exciting
difficult to comprehend how exciting that might be but it is I assure you and
that might be but it is I assure you and
that might be but it is I assure you and so in that context one of the bosses
so in that context one of the bosses
so in that context one of the bosses comes up to me and he says I guess
comes up to me and he says I guess
comes up to me and he says I guess jokingly but he said do you have any
jokingly but he said do you have any
jokingly but he said do you have any friend tell me you have any natural
friend tell me you have any natural
friend tell me you have any natural fibers in that suit I don’t know if he
fibers in that suit I don’t know if he
fibers in that suit I don’t know if he was making fun of me or if he was just
was making fun of me or if he was just
was making fun of me or if he was just joking but I said yeah I think there’s
joking but I said yeah I think there’s
joking but I said yeah I think there’s some I think there’s some wool in here
some I think there’s some wool in here
some I think there’s some wool in here maybe and some maybe some fiberglass
maybe and some maybe some fiberglass
maybe and some maybe some fiberglass that makes it shiny and then he said you
that makes it shiny and then he said you
that makes it shiny and then he said you know you really can’t come in here
know you really can’t come in here
know you really can’t come in here wearing shoes like that like what’s
wearing shoes like that like what’s
wearing shoes like that like what’s wrong with my shoes my mother got me
wrong with my shoes my mother got me
wrong with my shoes my mother got me these she was saying so I said and
these she was saying so I said and
these she was saying so I said and what’s with the obsession with my
what’s with the obsession with my
what’s with the obsession with my clothing so apparently I had to get some
clothing so apparently I had to get some
clothing so apparently I had to get some new clothes and which I promptly did and
new clothes and which I promptly did and
new clothes and which I promptly did and just to try to adapt into this situation
just to try to adapt into this situation
just to try to adapt into this situation but I decided you know I’m gonna respond
but I decided you know I’m gonna respond
but I decided you know I’m gonna respond to him in a way that Robert De Niro
to him in a way that Robert De Niro
to him in a way that Robert De Niro would respond to him and I said are you
would respond to him and I said are you
would respond to him and I said are you busting my chops is that what you’re
busting my chops is that what you’re
busting my chops is that what you’re doing are you busting my chops say it
doing are you busting my chops say it
doing are you busting my chops say it right now if you’re gonna bust my chops
right now if you’re gonna bust my chops
right now if you’re gonna bust my chops say it again go get your shine box stop
say it again go get your shine box stop
say it again go get your shine box stop busting my chops excuse me audio so that
busting my chops excuse me audio so that
busting my chops excuse me audio so that was sort of my foray at the time into
was sort of my foray at the time into
was sort of my foray at the time into incorporating comedy into business and
incorporating comedy into business and
incorporating comedy into business and then I decided to get into comedy a
then I decided to get into comedy a
then I decided to get into comedy a little bit more so a friend approached
little bit more so a friend approached
little bit more so a friend approached me and he said what do you think about
me and he said what do you think about
me and he said what do you think about doing stand-up comedy at a variety show
doing stand-up comedy at a variety show
doing stand-up comedy at a variety show that I’m producing in the village
that I’m producing in the village
that I’m producing in the village Greenwich Village and I said sure I’d
Greenwich Village and I said sure I’d
Greenwich Village and I said sure I’d love to and that sounds like a great
love to and that sounds like a great
love to and that sounds like a great idea I could kill my career in one night
idea I could kill my career in one night
idea I could kill my career in one night and so I talked to a business partner of
and so I talked to a business partner of
and so I talked to a business partner of mine and I said I’m gonna do some
mine and I said I’m gonna do some
mine and I said I’m gonna do some stand-up comedy would you like to go and
stand-up comedy would you like to go and
stand-up comedy would you like to go and he said that if you do that people
he said that if you do that people
he said that if you do that people there’s a good chance people are not
there’s a good chance people are not
there’s a good chance people are not going to take you seriously
going to take you seriously
going to take you seriously I thought about that and I said well
I thought about that and I said well
I thought about that and I said well maybe that’s a risk but maybe that’s not
maybe that’s a risk but maybe that’s not
maybe that’s a risk but maybe that’s not such a bad thing
such a bad thing
such a bad thing so anyway I did the variety show I loved
so anyway I did the variety show I loved
so anyway I did the variety show I loved it people laughed and I felt good it was
it people laughed and I felt good it was
it people laughed and I felt good it was a win-win I decided to continue to do it
a win-win I decided to continue to do it
a win-win I decided to continue to do it so I started doing corporate
so I started doing corporate
so I started doing corporate performances and then a friend of mine
performances and then a friend of mine
performances and then a friend of mine from India asked me to come over to
from India asked me to come over to
from India asked me to come over to India for a wedding to do stand-up
India for a wedding to do stand-up
India for a wedding to do stand-up comedy at the wedding which I did by
comedy at the wedding which I did by
comedy at the wedding which I did by myself in Hindi okay not in Hindi in
myself in Hindi okay not in Hindi in
myself in Hindi okay not in Hindi in english but amazing experience another
english but amazing experience another
english but amazing experience another friend of mine a New York lawyer said
friend of mine a New York lawyer said
friend of mine a New York lawyer said hey we’ve got a bunch of venture
hey we’ve got a bunch of venture
hey we’ve got a bunch of venture capitalists that we’re throwing a
capitalists that we’re throwing a
capitalists that we’re throwing a weekend party for would you like to
weekend party for would you like to
weekend party for would you like to perform at it I’d love to do it he said
perform at it I’d love to do it he said
perform at it I’d love to do it he said can you do something a little bit
can you do something a little bit
can you do something a little bit tailored for venture capitalists and I
tailored for venture capitalists and I
tailored for venture capitalists and I said venture capital and comedy they
said venture capital and comedy they
said venture capital and comedy they they were born together needless to say
they were born together needless to say
they were born together needless to say was a very short thing and then another
was a very short thing and then another
was a very short thing and then another friend of mine invited me to Ireland to
friend of mine invited me to Ireland to
friend of mine invited me to Ireland to do a stand-up comedy for a charity thing
do a stand-up comedy for a charity thing
do a stand-up comedy for a charity thing so I said yes jumped at it and I went
so I said yes jumped at it and I went
so I said yes jumped at it and I went over there and I thought it would be a
over there and I thought it would be a
over there and I thought it would be a pretty receptive crowd I bombed okay
pretty receptive crowd I bombed okay
pretty receptive crowd I bombed okay here’s the thing you can’t compete with
here’s the thing you can’t compete with
here’s the thing you can’t compete with an open bar it’s the bottom line role in
an open bar it’s the bottom line role in
an open bar it’s the bottom line role in comedy okay you just won’t win never
comedy okay you just won’t win never
comedy okay you just won’t win never ever so I learned from that but I’ll
ever so I learned from that but I’ll
ever so I learned from that but I’ll tell you I realized even while kind of
tell you I realized even while kind of
tell you I realized even while kind of doing both comedy and business and
doing both comedy and business and
doing both comedy and business and finance that you can do both and that
finance that you can do both and that
finance that you can do both and that it’s not a bad thing to not be serious
it’s not a bad thing to not be serious
it’s not a bad thing to not be serious all the time and then I vowed to never
all the time and then I vowed to never
all the time and then I vowed to never not use a double negative ever again
not use a double negative ever again
not use a double negative ever again Communications okay there’s corpse speak
Communications okay there’s corpse speak
Communications okay there’s corpse speak business buzzwords all of that this
business buzzwords all of that this
business buzzwords all of that this started to build up in me listening to
started to build up in me listening to
started to build up in me listening to the same things that people would say
the same things that people would say
the same things that people would say you know is it a good idea say well it’s
you know is it a good idea say well it’s
you know is it a good idea say well it’s just not in our wheelhouse you know you
just not in our wheelhouse you know you
just not in our wheelhouse you know you got to keep your nose to the grindstone
got to keep your nose to the grindstone
got to keep your nose to the grindstone right I just don’t have the bandwidth
right I just don’t have the bandwidth
right I just don’t have the bandwidth looks like we’re gonna have to write
looks like we’re gonna have to write
looks like we’re gonna have to write is that one so after a while I just
is that one so after a while I just
is that one so after a while I just couldn’t listen to that anymore
couldn’t listen to that anymore
couldn’t listen to that anymore and then I started noticing that
and then I started noticing that
and then I started noticing that acronyms were proliferating and you know
acronyms were proliferating and you know
acronyms were proliferating and you know the basic accurate you got yuppie you
the basic accurate you got yuppie you
the basic accurate you got yuppie you got NIMBY right not in my backyard
got NIMBY right not in my backyard
got NIMBY right not in my backyard you got IRS got TEDx all of these are
you got IRS got TEDx all of these are
you got IRS got TEDx all of these are fine okay the acronyms are fine but then
fine okay the acronyms are fine but then
fine okay the acronyms are fine but then in business they started to really jump
in business they started to really jump
in business they started to really jump out at me observational e and I said
out at me observational e and I said
out at me observational e and I said okay somebody came to me and they said
okay somebody came to me and they said
okay somebody came to me and they said can you please perform this DCF analysis
can you please perform this DCF analysis
can you please perform this DCF analysis so we can calculate the NPV ASAP and I
so we can calculate the NPV ASAP and I
so we can calculate the NPV ASAP and I said WTF I said an FW gtfo and it
said WTF I said an FW gtfo and it
said WTF I said an FW gtfo and it followed it up by saying DNA Toa M do
followed it up by saying DNA Toa M do
followed it up by saying DNA Toa M do not attempt to out acronym me then they
not attempt to out acronym me then they
not attempt to out acronym me then they came out with this thing called emails
came out with this thing called emails
came out with this thing called emails and emails have gotten to a point
and emails have gotten to a point
and emails have gotten to a point technology in the business world emails
technology in the business world emails
technology in the business world emails have gotten to a point where it’s send
have gotten to a point where it’s send
have gotten to a point where it’s send people to jail you just click send with
people to jail you just click send with
people to jail you just click send with the wrong stuff in it and you go to jail
the wrong stuff in it and you go to jail
the wrong stuff in it and you go to jail it’s a jail okay there’s a lot of emails
it’s a jail okay there’s a lot of emails
it’s a jail okay there’s a lot of emails in the hindsight funds of very many
in the hindsight funds of very many
in the hindsight funds of very many politicians and business people the
politicians and business people the
politicians and business people the other thing that I noticed was that the
other thing that I noticed was that the
other thing that I noticed was that the salutations at the end of the emails
salutations at the end of the emails
salutations at the end of the emails started to get increasingly ridiculous
started to get increasingly ridiculous
started to get increasingly ridiculous didn’t say started with just regards and
didn’t say started with just regards and
didn’t say started with just regards and then then somebody would go back and
then then somebody would go back and
then then somebody would go back and best regards right and then as is kind
best regards right and then as is kind
best regards right and then as is kind regards then they come back in warmest
regards then they come back in warmest
regards then they come back in warmest regards and I just wrote back do not
regards and I just wrote back do not
regards and I just wrote back do not attempt to out regard me
attempt to out regard me
attempt to out regard me anyway technology is really shaping a
anyway technology is really shaping a
anyway technology is really shaping a lot right now as you know and thank you
lot right now as you know and thank you
lot right now as you know and thank you for not having your smart phones out at
for not having your smart phones out at
for not having your smart phones out at this moment but the question is what is
this moment but the question is what is
this moment but the question is what is the future of humor particularly in the
the future of humor particularly in the
the future of humor particularly in the context of this conference being focused
context of this conference being focused
context of this conference being focused on what’s next so is the future of humor
on what’s next so is the future of humor
on what’s next so is the future of humor will it incorporate artificial
will it incorporate artificial
will it incorporate artificial intelligence perhaps will AI be able to
intelligence perhaps will AI be able to
intelligence perhaps will AI be able to create funny stuff in the future I don’t
create funny stuff in the future I don’t
create funny stuff in the future I don’t know I’m not sure look I just heard
know I’m not sure look I just heard
know I’m not sure look I just heard recently that Waze is dating Siri
recently that Waze is dating Siri
recently that Waze is dating Siri okay and that’s Siri then left ways for
okay and that’s Siri then left ways for
okay and that’s Siri then left ways for Alexa okay they met online by the way I
had a conversation with Alexa once at my
had a conversation with Alexa once at my friend’s house and I asked Alexa I said
friend’s house and I asked Alexa I said
friend’s house and I asked Alexa I said Alexa are you self-aware she said I’ll
Alexa are you self-aware she said I’ll
Alexa are you self-aware she said I’ll get back to you on that
get back to you on that
get back to you on that so better than no answer by the way but
so better than no answer by the way but
so better than no answer by the way but I said Alexa can you do a Brooklyn
I said Alexa can you do a Brooklyn
I said Alexa can you do a Brooklyn accent and she said yeah whatever stop
accent and she said yeah whatever stop
accent and she said yeah whatever stop busting my chops and I said then I said
busting my chops and I said then I said
busting my chops and I said then I said let me just play around a little bit I
let me just play around a little bit I
let me just play around a little bit I said Alexa I Michael Caine I do Michael
said Alexa I Michael Caine I do Michael
said Alexa I Michael Caine I do Michael Caine voice and I said I lecture
Caine voice and I said I lecture
Caine voice and I said I lecture Who am I right now and for that one
Who am I right now and for that one
Who am I right now and for that one there was no answer and then I asked her
there was no answer and then I asked her
there was no answer and then I asked her Alexa so what exactly is hindsight fund
Alexa so what exactly is hindsight fund
Alexa so what exactly is hindsight fund and Alexis said a hindsight fund well I
and Alexis said a hindsight fund well I
and Alexis said a hindsight fund well I said Alexa let me answer for you
said Alexa let me answer for you
said Alexa let me answer for you hindsight fund is a place where you can
hindsight fund is a place where you can
hindsight fund is a place where you can store all of your experiences in a safe
store all of your experiences in a safe
store all of your experiences in a safe place that you could hopefully draw from
place that you could hopefully draw from
place that you could hopefully draw from and apply in the future to both business
and apply in the future to both business
and apply in the future to both business and personal settings and to that end
and personal settings and to that end
and personal settings and to that end I would like to say in the future in a
I would like to say in the future in a
I would like to say in the future in a business setting in a business setting
business setting in a business setting
business setting in a business setting or in a personal setting if you’re in a
or in a personal setting if you’re in a
or in a personal setting if you’re in a business setting use all lines of
business setting use all lines of
business setting use all lines of communication that might be possible and
communication that might be possible and
communication that might be possible and available in a business setting to the
available in a business setting to the
available in a business setting to the extent that you can apply comedy and
extent that you can apply comedy and
extent that you can apply comedy and humor to those lines of communications
humor to those lines of communications
humor to those lines of communications you should do that
you should do that
you should do that and in a business setting please don’t
and in a business setting please don’t
and in a business setting please don’t take yourself too seriously I’m serious
take yourself too seriously I’m serious
take yourself too seriously I’m serious thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
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