An interview from nearly three decades ago has resurfaced, provoking a common reaction among viewers.
Jeff Bezos, now among the wealthiest individuals worldwide, was not always taken seriously during his early days as the founder of Amazon.
During a 1999 interview with Jay Leno, the audience chuckled at Bezos when he candidly acknowledged that Amazon was not turning a profit at that time.
Leno remarked: “Here’s the thing I don’t understand, the company is worth billions and every time I pick up the paper each year it loses more money than it lost the year before.”
“We are a famously unprofitable company and we are investing in the future, which isn’t unusual,” Bezos responded.
Looking forward to 2023, Amazon achieved an annual gross profit exceeding $270 billion, a significant increase from $33 billion in 2021.
In an earlier interview from 1996, Bezos appeared on The Computer Chronicles to discuss the concept of online shopping.
“If our catalog was on paper it would be the size of seven New York City phone books,” Bezos explained regarding the then-new Amazon website.
He further promised that Amazon could be “every bit as fun and engaging as a good, physical bookstore.”
The 29-year-old interview clip has been circulating on social media recently, sparking discussions about Bezos’ appearance — noting that he now resembles a cinematic villain to many.
You can watch the interview here:
“Before he looked like a James Bond villain,” a viewer commented.
Another remarked about Bezos in 1996: “Before he went for the Bond villain look…”
Someone else drew a parallel with Lex Luthor, stating: “He seemed so down to earth back then, now he’s Lex Luthor!”
Reflecting on his more approachable demeanor in earlier times, another person wrote: “Jeff seemed more down to earth back in the early days of Amazon unlike his bald and laugh crazy like persona many years later.”
Although Bezos once seemed more relatable, his current lifestyle is notably extravagant. At 61, he recently married Lauren Sanchez in an opulent $56 million ceremony in Italy.
The wedding saw a host of celebrities in attendance, many of whom were not publicly known to be close to Bezos or Sanchez.
With appearances from stars like Sydney Sweeney, Ellie Goulding, Leonardo DiCaprio, and his model girlfriend Vittoria Ceretti, the event was akin to the Met Gala of weddings.