Billionaire Warren Buffett appeared on CNBC for a whopping three hours on Monday, but there’s one particular moment that’s really getting people talking.
When discussing the Kraft Heinz’s failed takeover bid for Unilever, Buffett called upon an old story to illuminate the situation – and it definitely feels very dated.
When talking to news presenter Becky Quick, he describes “that old story about the difference between a diplomat and a lady” which, to him, represents how Unilever’s executive was too noncommittal during the deal. The eagle-eyed at Business Insider spotted the worrisome remarks and helpfully typed up a transcript of them.
The anecdote goes something like this: “If a diplomat says yes, he means maybe. If he says maybe, he means no. And if he says no, he’s no diplomat. And if a lady says no, she means maybe. And if she says maybe, she means yes. And if she says yes, she’s no lady. So he probably got a maybe and didn’t know whether it was coming from a diplomat or a lady, essentially.”
OK, just take some time to digest that. We’re not entirely sure why a diplomat and a lady have to be two mutually exclusive things, but that’s not even our main issue with what Buffett said.
Even though he was using the anecdote to describe a business deal, the comment “if a lady says no, she means maybe. And if she says maybe, she means yes” is really quite troubling.
This is by no means the first time Buffett’s has made some “charming” comments about women to describe business dealings.
He’s known for making somewhat offensive remarks in his annual letters. Take his 2007 letter, where he used a quote from a country song to describe bad deals: “I’ve never gone to bed with an ugly woman, but I’ve sure woke up with a few.”
