“Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer was egged by a protester during a speech he gave at a Hungarian University,” Matt Asay reports for CNET.
“As this video shows, the protester rose to his feet to challenge Microsoft for stealing billions in Hungarian taxpayer money, then started hurling eggs at Ballmer, who was forced to take cover behind a desk,” Asay reports.
Steve Balmer egged (angle 1):
Direct link to video via YouTube here.
Steve Balmer egged (angle 2):
Direct link to video via YouTube here.
Asay’s full blog post via CNET here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Pyeman” for the heads up.]
Ahh, the memories. Hopefully, those eggs were properly aged. Too bad the protester wasn’t more closely related to Al Hrabosky.
awesome 😀
I see Ballmer took SHELLter behind the desk
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Wow, Ballmer is such an assclown.
Did you see the guy who had to pick up his laptop as the egger moved? It was a macbook–sweet
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Needs a bigger desk obviously. Lets hope the eggs have salmonella.
notice the guy sitting next to the needler was using a Macbook.
Next time, aisle seat.
I know it was Ballmer, but I still dislike disruptive idiots like that. His shirt was enough. There is always someone with an axe to grind. Each one of us most likely has someone out there that would like to throw an egg at us for some real or imagined transgression. Next time it might be some Greenpeace activist tossing an egg as Steve Jobs. Not cool.
I love how no one tries to stop him
If some one tried this with jobs
the mac faithful would tackle him and beat him senseless with a dell laptop
Now on the menu:
Eggs Vista
(eggs, slightly broken, with Ham, served in a pocket)
I am Hungary
To give Ballmer a little credit, he handled that very well. By now he should be very thick skinned.
I disagree with his vision, tactics, and past antics, but he really did not deserve that. As a teenager, I was guilty of putting snakes in mailboxes, blew up paper boxes with M-80’s, changed the words on church signs on Saturday night, hit cars with muskedines, and co-egged busses for rival high schools. But that guy went too way too far. He really crossed the line. I don’t like Ballmer, but I would never do that. He actually shined and gets my first positive comment ever.
Inappropriate behavior that I cannot condone. Let him know how you feel about him, but don’t debase yourself in the process. Let Monkeyboy be the chair thrower.
I’ve seen this done to all sorts of politicians and celebs that I personally don’t like and you know what? I’ve never thought it was cool. I can’t help thinking that it makes the thrower look just as much of an asshole as the recipient.
An egg’s capable of causing a great deal of injury if it hits the right spot (eye, temple etc). It’ll happen one day and even though I can’t stand Ballmer, I can’t gloat over this.
@ha,
If there was a Dell laptop to be had.
Egging and other forms of public humiliation at other people’s expense are immature and show absolutely no class. Make a point by not buying/using their products, don’t egg. Hold yourself to a higher standard, they may call us Mac Snobs, but let’s not digress to low levels of degradation.
Remember, Baller provides plenty of fodder to us, we don’t need to create it on our own.
Now, had everyone shown up with a MacBook and iPod/iPhone earbuds . . . that would’ve been a sight to see.
The egger’s boorish behavior almost makes Ballmer look sympathetic in comparison – not exactly the outcome he was going for, I’d wager.
Still, when you consider the billions (trillions?) Microsoft has unfairly extorted from the world as a whole with their shoddy software and monopoly lock-in tactics, an egg or two in the face is pretty mild retribution, really.
Yeah, that’s just rude. But it’s a telling statement about people’s feelings toward Microsoft. Back in their heyday one couldn’t waltz over to Youtube and see a video; I’m sure the incident would have never made the press. Their grip loosens more and more with every passing day in this day and age of freely available information.
Well, I am no fan of Ballmer or M$ but I have to say, any time a physical assault is used as a means to communicate, regardless of the message, I am disappointed. Violence is the last resort, when all other forms of communication have failed.
And it would have been funnier if there were multiple protesters yelling at him and throwing eggs. One sole protester looks like a kook.
The Ballmer videos on youtube are just amazing. How Gates could give control of his company to such a moron is really stunning.
This kind of behavior is never acceptable, no matter who the target is.
This kind of low-class hooligan-protest is desperate and childish. I actually felt sorry for Ballmer (imagine that!), and say huzzah for him for getting a laugh and carrying on.
I’m disgusted and I can’t believe you people would actually <strike>egg</strike> encourage such insolent and childish behavior. Steve Ballmer is man in charge of a company, not a monster.
And those eggs were wasted on a man. They deserved better. Those eggs could have been poached, scrambled, or hatched and raised as chickens, to be served fried, baked, grilled, or perhaps combined with other eggs to make a chicken omelette (which Freudian by the way). Instead they were shamelessly wasted.
A respectful moment of silence for the eggs, and the person who missed out on eating those eggs. I may never read another MDN post again because of this… unless I have an egg and cheese sandwich to go with it.
Not cool.
Not cool at all.
Throwing eggs is ineffective. The man just seems a bit nuts. Too bad there was not a more widespread, orderly display of indignation at the M$ rip off.
This kind of behavior is never welcomed. I commend Steve Ballmer for taking it in stride. I’m not a fan of Microsoft, but still, this kind of behavior is just not cool.
Low class and boorish behavior and for once it wasn’t Ballmer doing it.
Totally wrong.
Say your piece or save it for Q&A;.
Nobody deserves this (maybe the government of Myanmar (sp.). But this was wrong.
No two ways about it.
And I dislike Ballmer as much as any of you.