Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, appeared as the host of the comedy show "Saturday Night Live" (SNL), a flagship program of NBC, on the 8th (local time). [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, appeared as the host of the United States NBC's flagship comedy show "Saturday Night Live" (SNL), and caused a stir locally by confessing on the broadcast that he has Asperger's syndrome.
On the 8th (local time), Musk hosted the SNL show. According to local media, Musk opened the show by saying, "I am the first person with Asperger's syndrome to host a comedy show."
Asperger's syndrome is a type of pervasive developmental disorder, characterized by the absence of significant language development delays in childhood, unlike autism. It is also known that people with Asperger's enjoy socializing and conversing with others but have difficulties in interpersonal relationships, and have limited areas of interest or activities.
Musk said, "At least this is the first time I have acknowledged (Asperger's syndrome) on a broadcast," adding, "So tonight, I probably won't make much eye contact with the cast. But don't worry. I am quite skilled at handling 'humans' in emulation mode," which drew laughter. However, local media corrected Musk's statement by noting that comedian Dan Aykroyd, who hosted SNL in 2003, had previously confessed to having Asperger's syndrome.
Musk also acknowledged that his selection as an SNL host was controversial. He said, "I know that sometimes I say strange things or post weird stuff on social media (SNS)." He added, "That's simply how my brain works."
He also expressed pride, saying, "If I have anything to say to those who have been offended or hurt by me so far, I reinvented the electric car and sent people to Mars on rockets."
Meanwhile, Musk's appearance on the show, as a strong supporter of the cryptocurrency Dogecoin, was also a major focus for cryptocurrency investors. This is because the price surged every time Musk mentioned Dogecoin.
At the start of the show, Musk mentioned Dogecoin as usual. When his mother appeared and said, "I'm really looking forward to Mother's Day gifts. It won't be Dogecoin, right?" Musk replied, "It is Dogecoin," which drew laughter.
Then Musk introduced himself as the Dogefather and appeared as a cryptocurrency expert, mentioning Dogecoin again. When the anchor repeatedly asked, "What is Dogecoin?" Musk answered, "Dogecoin started as a joke. It's a cryptocurrency. You can exchange it for dollars. It's really like dollars."
Due to anticipation of Musk's SNL appearance, Dogecoin's price hit an all-time high around 10 p.m. the previous day. Investors expected, as in the past, that Musk's mention of Dogecoin would cause the price to surge further that day. However, contrary to expectations, Dogecoin's price plummeted just before the show started. Local media reported that it even dropped further after the Mother's Day gift joke.
Investor reactions to the SNL show were divided. Some complained, saying, "I had to watch my assets decrease while watching the broadcast," while others said, "The plunge is rather a buying opportunity."
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