Microsoft’s co-founder, Bill Gates, faced an unexpected and unconventional attack on Wednesday, receiving more than just legal documents or court summons – a direct hit of a pie to the face.
The influential figure, who leads the world’s foremost software company, was on his way to a gathering with key figures from Belgian business and government sectors when a jester abruptly applied a cream pie to his face.
As cream dribbled down his professional attire and obscured his eyeglasses, Gates was promptly escorted to a nearby area for cleanup, emerging afterwards with a somewhat sheepish expression.
Following the messy encounter, he went on to hold discussions with Luc van den Brande, the Minister-President of Flanders, the Dutch-speaking region of Belgium.
Law enforcement took two individuals into custody, with reports indicating that one person engaged Gates in conversation as a diversion while the other executed the pie-throwing act.
Microsoft later identified the culprit as Noel Godin, a well-known Belgian prankster renowned for similar antics targeting high-profile individuals.
Expressing her views from Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond, Washington, the company’s spokesperson Erin Brewer commented, “Bill appeared taken aback by the incident, yet he managed the situation with poise.
He even remarked that the most disappointing aspect was the lack of flavor in the pie.”
The incident quickly caught the attention of U.S. television networks, with bids soaring up to $4,000 for images capturing the moment when the wealthiest individual globally became the unexpected recipient of a cream