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Elon Musk Trolls the Media With a Clip From 'Spaceballs' (twitter.com)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the 1-2-3-4-5 dept.

An anonymous reader writes Elon Musk is having fun on Twitter, where he's either promoting the new line of $20 "Boring Company" hats or trolling the media. "To preserve the transcendent majesty & specialness of The Boring Company cap, we are capping cap orders at 50,000 caps," Musk tweeted Sunday, adding "Almost there ..." Responding to a user who asked, "Is this really how you're funding the boring company??" Musk answered "Yes."

An hour later he tweeted that "Every 5000th buyer of our boringly boring hat will get a free hat signed by the delivery guy. That special hat delivery will take place deep within the real, but fictional (of course), tunnel we are building under LA while you drive the giant machine blindfolded. This will actually happen."

And then hours later, Musk shared a fresh insight into his thought process. "The *real* money comes from merchandising," he tweeted, adding "I learned it from this documentary," sharing a video titled "merchandising" which, on closer inspection, turned out to be a clip from the 1987 comedy "Spaceballs" starring Mel Brooks.
Ironically, George Lucas had only blessed Mel Brooks' parody of Star Wars with one condition: that no Space Balls action figure merchandise ever be produced.

62 of 134 comments (clear)

  1. The Schwartz! by Templer421 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Is Strong With This One!

    1. Re:The Schwartz! by TheReaperD · · Score: 4, Funny

      And I see your Schwartz is as big as mine. Let's see how you "handle it."

      --
      "Be particularly skeptical when presented with evidence confirming what you already believe." -
  2. Stop talking by elrous0 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    And build more cars.

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
    1. Re:Stop talking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Mr. Musk needs to concentrate on his core business and start producing one car every 60 seconds or so, sometimes it seems like he is spread too thin.

    2. Re:Stop talking by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 5, Funny

      Since Elon Musk is alone and assembles each and every car in the factory, your comment makes a lot of sense.

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    3. Re:Stop talking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      As someone who has worked in the auto industry including plants for 25 years, it is easy for me to see, at any rate, that a chief who is distracted by too many side projects and not giving 110% attention to getting a new assembly line up and running is going to get exactly what he is getting. But you wanted to deflect that argument. Why is that?

    4. Re:Stop talking by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 2

      You're assuming that he's the only one in charge of everything? Surely he has people under him to manage things too.

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    5. Re:Stop talking by TheReaperD · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You know, he's not perfect, by a long shot but, at least he wants to make a fucking difference. Because of that, or because of feelings of their own inadequacy, people are determined to tear him down every chance they get. The guys get some problems, but a least give him a chance.

      --
      "Be particularly skeptical when presented with evidence confirming what you already believe." -
    6. Re:Stop talking by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

      There is very little to be solved in terms of improved oceanic freight, especially if you're not a large shipbuilder, and "effective desalination" is a pie in the sky. Well, a cloud in the sky - we already have efficient desalination, and it's called "evaporation and rain". Compared to this, spaceflight and smaller-scale distributed energy (including vehicles) are definitely two areas where there *can* be a lot of still-unrealized progress. So why focus on the areas where there's little to be improved and/or little impact done when the problem is solved?

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    7. Re:Stop talking by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      I think owners of Tesla cars are getting a little frustrated at the lack of progress on promised features. Maybe he needs to hire more people to manage/engineer things.

      Tesla is selling "full self driving" capability today, for about $3500 on top of the $5000 "enhanced auto-pilot". Self driving will be delivered at some unspecified date via software update. Enhanced auto-pilot doesn't work very well yet. There was an old version, known as AP1, which was better. Newer cars have AP2 hardware, which doesn't even have auto-wipers yet.

      This is problematic because people have expensive cars that are depreciating and running out their finance plans, with features that they paid for but which have not been delivered. And in fact, it seems like Tesla is actually going backwards because the older cars have better autopilot and working rain sensors.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    8. Re:Stop talking by haruchai · · Score: 4, Informative

      "not giving 110% attention to getting a new assembly line up and running"
      That's the responsibility of Peter Hochholdinger, who oversaw the production of several Audi models in a 20 year career.
      https://www.linkedin.com/in/pe...
      Elon's job is to keep the money coming in & he does that very well.

      --
      Pain is merely failure leaving the body
    9. Re:Stop talking by edtice1559 · · Score: 2

      He's already rich and famous. He now does what he wants.

    10. Re: Stop talking by kellymcdonald78 · · Score: 1

      Yes because everyone knows that the two industries you want to be in to make easy money and become super famous are the automotive and space launch industry. If Elonâ(TM)s sole driver was wealth and fame he would have invested his $100M PayPal payday very differently

    11. Re: Stop talking by mspohr · · Score: 1

      I think he's capable of doing more than one thing.

      --
      I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
  3. What's funny... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    I just ordered one of these hats and you can't pay with PayPal!

  4. Leave your nerd card and get out by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...sharing a video titled "merchandising" which, on closer inspection, turned out to be a clip from the 1987 comedy "Spaceballs" starring Mel Brooks.

    If you can't tell that from the screenshot alone, you're not a nerd.

    GET OUT.

    --
    #DeleteFacebook
    1. Re: Leave your nerd card and get out by mspohr · · Score: 1

      To most people here, actually looking at the links is "deep research"

      --
      I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
  5. Is it parody ? by OrangeTide · · Score: 2

    Because the Spaceballs "merchandising" scene always had a ring of truth to it. It's not hard to see how much toy sales drove many of these franchises. From pretty much anything Disney, to Star Wars, to Transformers.

    Also, I love the name of Musk's company. I LOL'd the first time I found out about The Boring Company.

    --
    “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
    1. Re:Is it parody ? by bickerdyke · · Score: 1

      Because the Spaceballs "merchandising" scene always had a ring of truth to it. It's not hard to see how much toy sales drove many of these franchises. From pretty much anything Disney, to Star Wars, to Transformers.

      And now, 30 years after Spaceballs, "Star Wars" and "Disney" are one. Now that's what I call visionary.

      Also, I love the name of Musk's company. I LOL'd the first time I found out about The Boring Company.

      I still hold to my claim that he only founded it for the sake of that pun.

      --
      bickerdyke
    2. Re:Is it parody ? by tehcyder · · Score: 1

      I love the name of Musk's company. I LOL'd the first time I found out about The Boring Company.

      It all seems a bit like turning up to a new job and seeing that the boss has a "you don't have to be mad to work here...but it helps!" sign on their desk.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
  6. Spaceballs the Lunchbox by Lirodon · · Score: 1

    Spaceballs the Breakfast Cereal, Spaceballs THE FLAME THROWAH!! ("The kids love this one!")

  7. Maybe a monoculture would... by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    ...but not a Muskculture.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  8. Is this Playful Elon or High Elon? by Bruce+Perens · · Score: 2

    A while back, Elon tweeted something about having a quiet evening with some wine and ambien. Fortunately, Elon is wealthy enough that someone else is probably driving if he has to go anywhere under this mix. Elon has also commented that he could be bipolar.

    So, sometimes one wonders if Elon is just toying with us, or if he's high.

    I think there's one very good thing about this recent spate of announcements and the self-designations that some of them are fake. There was a certain class of young Elon Musk fan (I'm looking at you, Reddit /r/spacex) who didn't believe that Elon Musk lied. No, I'm not kidding. I just figure that all corporate executives lie and that it's part of the job, but not those young fans. But now, Elon seems to be putting out enough consciously conflicting messages that some of them will turn out to be lies, and the fan base can adjust its adoration accordingly.

    I do think he's done a whole lot of great things. And I think you need someone like him to do them.

    --
    Bruce Perens.
    1. Re:Is this Playful Elon or High Elon? by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 2

      He really seems to have both the money and the personality of fictional character Tony Stark, played by the excellent Robert Downey Jr.*

      * his name is Robert Downey Jr. so am I supposed to just write two periods to end my sentence or what?

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    2. Re:Is this Playful Elon or High Elon? by ColaMan · · Score: 4, Informative

      In this case the general agreement is that you just use a single full-stop.

      http://www.grammar-monster.com...

      --

      You are in a twisty maze of processor lines, all alike.
      There is a lot of hype here.
    3. Re:Is this Playful Elon or High Elon? by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      So.... U+1F6D1 ?

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    4. Re:Is this Playful Elon or High Elon? by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      ColaMan's post was informative to the question I asked. I then replied with a joke since "full stop" is funny to me, english being a secondary language. It's also a joke about the insane amount of new "characters" emoji crap that we now have to endure since it's part of unicode.

      But your post? It just makes me want to post something about wooshing sounds. As for my "ego", this is a stupid account on a now-mostly-pointless website, I don't care what you think.

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    5. Re:Is this Playful Elon or High Elon? by Archangel+Michael · · Score: 1

      Isn't there an emoji character for "whoosh" ? If not, there ought to be!

      --
      Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
  9. poor editing by gravewax · · Score: 1

    someone needs to learn the meaning of irony! hint there is nothing ironic about the merchandising restriction for action figures as Musk isn't doing them either.

  10. Re:What would slashdot do by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

    Mono on Linux. Funny.

    --
    #DeleteFacebook
  11. Re:Get this thru your head OrangeTide by Pikoro · · Score: 1

    Nah, it was probably me. Sorry I hurt your feelings earlier APK.

    --
    "Freedom in the USA is not the ability to do what you want. It is the ability to stop others from doing what THEY want"
  12. Autonomous demonstration by fozzy1015 · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Hey Elon, how about an on that completely autonomous coast-to-coast drive you promised by the end of the year? You have less than a month to go! Then again, maybe you should stick to the hat business. Probably the only one you've ever made a profit on.

    1. Re:Autonomous demonstration by hyades1 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Well, Elon has introduced electric cars to the general market after the big automakers had decided they didn't want to, and he's brought private enterprise into space.

      So what are your accomplishments again?

      --
      I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
    2. Re:Autonomous demonstration by Miles_O'Toole · · Score: 5, Insightful

      For some reason, Musk seems to incite a lot of rage among the "It'll Never Work" crew. When you're 40 years old and mom is still paying the internet bill, seeing somebody who has literally changed the world do well must hurt.

      --
      Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.
    3. Re:Autonomous demonstration by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 1

      The AC Musk hating basement legion only exists in any case because of government subsidies like SSDI. That's why they can't tell the difference between government subsidies for doing absolutely nothing and profiting by selling services to agencies like NASA and DOD.

    4. Re:Autonomous demonstration by TheDarkMaster · · Score: 1

      Well said my friend, well said.

      --
      Religion: The greatest weapon of mass destruction of all time
    5. Re:Autonomous demonstration by hyades1 · · Score: 1

      He does have that aroma clinging to him, doesn't he!

      --
      I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
    6. Re: Autonomous demonstration by Lije+Baley · · Score: 1

      I am Grand Poobah of the local "It'll Never Work" Society, regularly hating on "AI" and self-driving car stories, but I have no problem with Elon beyond a tinge of jealousy. He delivers FAR more on his promises than the average gasbag.

      --
      Strange things are afoot at the Circle-K.
    7. Re:Autonomous demonstration by fozzy1015 · · Score: 1

      For some reason, Musk seems to incite a lot of rage among the "It'll Never Work" crew. When you're 40 years old and mom is still paying the internet bill, seeing somebody who has literally changed the world do well must hurt.

      No rage, just calling out a fraud and carnival barker when I see one. For reference: https://twitter.com/elonmusk/s... It's impossible to keep up with all of his broken promises, but once people are indoctrinated into a cult it's hard to get them to see reason which is right in front of them. Though I'm a bit disappointed, figuring /. readers were more sophisticated.

  13. Spaceballs figures by irving47 · · Score: 1

    I still want my damn Eagle-5 official Pops model, damn it.

    --
    I had a sucky sig.
    1. Re:Spaceballs figures by xlsior · · Score: 1

      I still want my damn Eagle-5 official Pops model, damn it.

      Don't hold your breath -- Mel Brooks had an agreement with George Lucas not to sell any Spaceballs action figures and other tie-in toys, in order to secure Lucas' blessing to make fun of Star Wars. (Didn't hurt that he also hired Industrial Light & Magic to do the special effects)

      "Merchandising, where the real profit is made!"

    2. Re:Spaceballs figures by JaredOfEuropa · · Score: 1

      Why did Brooks even need Lucas' blessing to make his parody?

      --
      If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
    3. Re:Spaceballs figures by lister+king+of+smeg · · Score: 1

      Why did Brooks even need Lucas' blessing to make his parody?

      Because Lucas did the special effects.

      --
      ---Saying gnome 3 is better than windows 8 not so much a compliment as it is damning with light praise.
    4. Re:Spaceballs figures by Gilgaron · · Score: 1

      Same reason Weird Al gets permission for his parodies: it makes things easier, and people get long better.

    5. Re:Spaceballs figures by mattack2 · · Score: 1

      He didn't. He did it out of courtesy.

  14. Friday /. was pissed I said Musk trolls publicity by raymorris · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Just two days ago I said Musk drums up publicity while Nissan, BYD, and others build more electric cars. He's the PT Barnum of our age, I said. The Musk fanatics went nuts. Today, this. He's literally claiming he'll finance his new company by selling hats, and trolling the media with Spaceballs clips.

  15. Re:LIST OF FAGGOTS by TheReaperD · · Score: 1

    I see someone has a lack of confidence in their "skills."

    --
    "Be particularly skeptical when presented with evidence confirming what you already believe." -
  16. Elon's core business is the future. by robbak · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Elon's core business is inspiring people to dream of a more exciting future, and trying to bring that future about. Building the Model 3 is one part of this, as is designing electric trucks and hypercars, pushing battery tech forward, working on forgotten areas of solar tech such as the aesthetics of the product, and building and designing even more epic reusable rockets. Oh, and seeing if anything can be done about the inefficiencies of tunnel building for solving transport problems.

    --
    Prediction for end of Universe #42: Fencepost error in Quantum_bogosort.cpp
    1. Re:Elon's core business is the future. by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

      it's very clearly getting personal enrichment and power through government subsidies and exploiting consumers.

      ...as opposed to...what? Big oil? Telcos? Come on, you're not *that* naive about the world, are you?

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    2. Re:Elon's core business is the future. by Cederic · · Score: 1

      There are people out there with ethics. Less in America, and disappointingly few as wealthy as Musk.

      That doesn't mean we have to accept his approach.

    3. Re:Elon's core business is the future. by rjstanford · · Score: 1

      No, it's very clearly getting personal enrichment and power through government subsidies and exploiting consumers.

      Pretty sure his personal enrichment and power was doing just fine once he'd sold PayPal.

      --
      You're special forces then? That's great! I just love your olympics!
    4. Re:Elon's core business is the future. by Archangel+Michael · · Score: 1

      I beg to differ. Everyone has ethics, some are more hypocritical that others; as in "Ethics are for the other guy".

      --
      Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
    5. Re:Elon's core business is the future. by Cederic · · Score: 1

      Ah, comedy. Someone posting anonymously thinking people actually buy slashdot IDs? Just fucking sign up mate, it's free - I did it 17 years ago, but it's not too late.

      Musk made a lot of money through Paypal but he's made a lot of money since too. If he wasn't getting subsidies Tesla would've been bankrupt long ago, even with all the VC cash he's using to bolster the value of his shares.

    6. Re:Elon's core business is the future. by tehcyder · · Score: 1

      Elon's core business is inspiring people to dream of a more exciting future

      Thanks, I just threw up over my keyboard.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
  17. Re:LIST OF FAGGOTS by AK+Marc · · Score: 1

    Wow, I didn't know I had a following. Just send cash.

    --
    Learn to love Alaska
  18. Re: Elon staring at a gyroscope for 15 minutes by oobayly · · Score: 1

    That's the second time I've seen those links. As far as I could tell they're just videos of eclipses and make me reference to flat earth. What's the deal?

  19. Re:Get this thru your head OrangeTide by Pikoro · · Score: 1

    Do you honestly think nobody can tell that this was posted by you apk? The depths you sink to feel good about yourself.

    --
    "Freedom in the USA is not the ability to do what you want. It is the ability to stop others from doing what THEY want"
  20. Re:Get this thru your head OrangeTide by Tenebrousedge · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I wish you were dead. So, I think, do most people here. Now you're bragging about threatening and harassing people; I didn't think you could be more of an asshole. You're the worst human I'm aware of, and the planet would be vastly superior for your absence.

    --
    Those who advocate genocide deserve every protection afforded by law, and none afforded by common human decency.
  21. It's pronounced by Chas · · Score: 1

    MOICHANDISING!

    Sheesh. How could he get that wrong?

    --


    Chas - The one, the only.
    THANK GOD!!!
  22. Re:Friday /. was pissed I said Musk trolls publici by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

    Just two days ago I said Musk drums up publicity while Nissan, BYD, and others build more electric cars.

    And if all the car manufacturers spent half as much effort as Tesla does, Tesla would indeed be very far behind.

    --
    Ezekiel 23:20
  23. Re:LIST OF FAGGOTS by TheReaperD · · Score: 1

    Looks like you forgot to give somebody a handjob.

    --
    "Be particularly skeptical when presented with evidence confirming what you already believe." -
  24. The Obsession by JohnStock · · Score: 1

    This guy just has to fart and the hipster nerds wank themselves silly. I thought /. was better than this. Keep this sort of shit in Wired.