A tech billionaire closely connected to President Trump encountered an embarrassing situation when he had to remove the name from his new yacht after discovering that it spelled something inappropriate when read backwards.
Larry Ellison, the creator of Oracle, a software company, was in for a surprise after acquiring a distinctive 191-foot yacht. This vessel, crafted by the renowned architect Sir Norman Foster, resembled a military cruiser more than a typical luxury yacht.
Ellison, known for his love of yachts, must have been thrilled when he bought the ship from a Japanese millionaire in 1999, given its sharp, naval-inspired geometric design and remarkable top speed of 34 knots (39 mph).
However, his excitement likely diminished when he saw the name he had chosen for the German-made luxury yacht, Izanami, named after the Shinto goddess of death and creation.
He soon realized that when viewed in a mirror or read backwards, the name spelled out ‘Imanazi’.
In other words, ‘I’m a nazi’.
Considering Ellison’s substantial contributions to the Israeli military and his close ties with Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, he reportedly acted quickly to remove the name from the yacht.
An enthusiastic admirer of Japanese culture, Ellison opted to rename the vessel ‘Ronin’, a term for a samurai without a master.
Ellison has owned other yachts with names such as Musashi, Rising Sun, and Katana.
Eventually, he sold the military-style yacht to Venezuelan banker Victor Vargas sometime before 2013, as reported by the New York Post.
This past incident resurfaced on social media, with users drawing parallels to a storyline from HBO’s Succession.
In the past year, the 81-year-old Ellison briefly held the title of the world’s richest person as Oracle, a company providing data services to businesses and governments, capitalized on the burgeoning AI industry.
Since President Trump’s reelection, the software tycoon has experienced a Succession-like moment, emerging as a major donor and influential figure in the tech sector.
This influence extends to governmental approval of the significant media merger that formed Paramount Skydance, with his eldest son, David Ellison, now leading a company valued at approximately $13.3 billion.
Ellison’s potential media influence could rival that of Rupert Murdoch, especially with Trump’s support for his bid to acquire the U.S. operations of TikTok.
Some social media commentators likened the ‘I’m a Nazi’ incident to comedic situations, with one remarking: “This sounds like something out of Arrested Development.”