Enron CEO Connor Gaydos hit with pie in viral incident amid satirical relaunch controversy
Connor Gaydos, linked to a satirical effort to relaunch the energy firm Enron as its new CEO, was struck in the face with a pie this week while entering a building in New York City.
The event, captured on video, quickly went viral on social media Thursday. The footage shows Gaydos stepping out of an SUV just moments before an older man thrusts the pie into his face as two bodyguards attempt to intervene.
Enron’s new CEO was hit with a pie in NYC pic.twitter.com/gTYDjl9wlg
This unusual incident echoed a similar event from over 20 years ago, when a woman in California threw a pie at Enron’s former CEO Jeffrey Schilling.
Earlier this month, a group announced the return of the controversial Texas company, coinciding with the 23rd anniversary of its bankruptcy filing following a massive fraud scandal.
“With a bold new vision, Enron will leverage cutting-edge technology, human ingenuity, and the spirit of adaptation to address the critical challenges of energy, sustainability, accessibility and affordability,” the company stated in a press release, which led many to question its authenticity.
The announcement was reportedly accompanied by billboards in Houston, a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle, and a promotional video highlighting the company’s revival.
An investigation by Houston station KHOU uncovered a disclaimer on the company’s website, stating, “The information on the website is First Amendment-protected parody, represents performance art and is for entertainment purposes only.”
Speculation has been rife that the supposed comeback of Enron is actually a promotional campaign for cryptocurrency.