Brian Damage
03-03-2008, 09:30 AM
Officials from the state Dormitory Authority last week held a conference call with investors, analysts and the media. The topic was the arcane world of auction-rate securities.
The call was informative, but not one in which a listener expects intrigue or high-jinks. Then one of the analysts identified himself as "Art Vandelay," and The Buzz's ears immediately perked up.
That's because the moniker was the chosen pseudonym for George Costanza, played by Jason Alexander, on the TV sitcom "Seinfeld." Plus, the call was happening just days after The Wall Street Journal published a story on a mystery prankster who has been haunting quarterly earnings conference calls.
That caller, playing the role of an analyst, typically introduces himself as "Joe Herrick of Gutterman Research," then asks corporate-babble questions such as: "Can you provide some more color as to what you are doing for your supply chain initiatives to reduce manufacturing costs per hectoliter?"
CEOs, the Journal reported, are often flummoxed.
Was it possible the Dormitory Authority was being similarly punked?
Vandelay's question was loudly and rapidly delivered, leaving it inaudible to The Buzz's ears. But authority officials gamely gave a serious reply.
Perhaps there really is an analyst out there unfortunately burdened with the Vandelay name?
Or was this caller joking?
It seems The Buzz will never know.
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=668419&category=BUSINESS&BCCode=HOME&newsdate=3/2/2008
The call was informative, but not one in which a listener expects intrigue or high-jinks. Then one of the analysts identified himself as "Art Vandelay," and The Buzz's ears immediately perked up.
That's because the moniker was the chosen pseudonym for George Costanza, played by Jason Alexander, on the TV sitcom "Seinfeld." Plus, the call was happening just days after The Wall Street Journal published a story on a mystery prankster who has been haunting quarterly earnings conference calls.
That caller, playing the role of an analyst, typically introduces himself as "Joe Herrick of Gutterman Research," then asks corporate-babble questions such as: "Can you provide some more color as to what you are doing for your supply chain initiatives to reduce manufacturing costs per hectoliter?"
CEOs, the Journal reported, are often flummoxed.
Was it possible the Dormitory Authority was being similarly punked?
Vandelay's question was loudly and rapidly delivered, leaving it inaudible to The Buzz's ears. But authority officials gamely gave a serious reply.
Perhaps there really is an analyst out there unfortunately burdened with the Vandelay name?
Or was this caller joking?
It seems The Buzz will never know.
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=668419&category=BUSINESS&BCCode=HOME&newsdate=3/2/2008