“Cramer is a simulation,” Musk snarked on Twitter. “He’s not real.”
Musk was reacting to Cramer’s criticism that Elon is a “master deflector” like the late P.T. Barnum.
“He deflects, deflects, deflects. I’ve never seen anything like it. He’s the master deflector. He is P.T. Barnum.”
Cramer is a simulation. He’s not real.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 26, 2019
Elon Musk nonchalantly shrugs off Cramer
Musk’s tepid reaction to Cramer was mild compared to some of his other Twitter takedowns.
As CCN reported, Elon mocked billionaire Jeff Bezos after the Amazon CEO announced plans to launch a constellation of satellites into space.
Musk reminded Bezos that his company, SpaceX, had already done that last year by calling him a copycat. Musk made sure to tag Bezos on his catty Twitter smackdown.
Musk (net worth: $20 billion) probably didn’t go hard against Jim Cramer because he realizes that Cramer (net worth: $100 million) is small potatoes compared to him.
Elon Musk Epically Trolls Jeff Bezos After Amazon Poaches SpaceX Scheme https://t.co/gJ2PIqhzF0
— CCN.com (@CCNMarkets) April 10, 2019
Cramer built tv career on carnival-barking antics
As a reminder, P.T. Barnum was a flamboyant American businessman who founded the Barnum & Bailey Circus. He’s most famous for his outlandish PR stunts.
Like brash publicity hound PT Barnum, Jim Cramer has found a way to keep himself in the headlines — by trash-talking Elon Musk.
Elon Musk Should be Forced Out as CEO of Tesla: Jim Cramer https://t.co/n0m5kSPKO8
— CCN.com (@CCNMarkets) February 26, 2019
Of course, the irony is that Cramer is far more of a shameless self-promoter than Musk is. Indeed, the foundation of Cramer’s entire TV career are his carnival-barking antics.
Over the years, Cramer has donned an embarrassing array of ridiculous costumes while hosting his aptly-named CNBC show “Mad Money,” where he presumably offers investment analysis.
Irony alert: Jim Cramer says Elon Musk is like carnival barker P.T. Barnum. | Source: screenshots
We have yet to see Musk prance around in absurd outfits in a bid to promote his far-reaching business ventures.
CNBC’s Jim Cramer says Tesla billionaire Elon Musk is outlandish. | Source: CNBC
Flashback: In 2008, Cramer urged viewers not to dump Bear Stearns
Then there’s this: On March 11, 2008, Cramer urged his CNBC audience to not sell Bear Stearns stock because the flailing “Bear Stearns is fine!”
CRAMER: “Peter writes, ‘Should I be worried about Bear Stearns’ liquidity and get my money out of there?’”
“No! No! No!” Bear Stearns is fine.”
“Do NOT take your money out! Bear Stearns is not in trouble! Don’t move your money from Bear. Don’t be silly!”
At the time, Bear Stearns stock was trading at $62 a share. Five days later, the troubled bank collapsed and was acquired by JP Morgan for $2 a share after the government asked JPM to rescue it. That’s just one example of Cramer’s many spectacularly missed investment calls.
Cramer’s Bear Stearns call was so horrific that comedian Jon Stewart tore into him in a hilarious 2009 monologue.