Blackstone released a seven-and-a-half-minute, tongue-in-cheek holiday video celebrating its 40th anniversary with a mocking tribute to 1980s origins. The video features Ken Burns-style narration bits, abrupt comedic interruptions, and executives performing "Dirty Dancing"-style choreography while portraying a mid-life crisis. Cameos include Danny DeVito pitching jargon-filled investment products and Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon in a brief appearance. The video serves as the firm's eighth consecutive holiday production and originated in 2018 as a replacement for an oversized New York holiday party. The video concludes with a poignant tribute to Wesley LePatner, noting she "always made us smile."
"The tongue-in-cheek video leans into the private equity shop's 40th anniversary with a mocking tribute to its 1980s origins. It riffs on everything from Ken Burns-style narration, including an abrupt firing of Burns himself in favor of some "pizzazz," to execs dancing their way through "Dirty Dancing"-style choreography. Executives portraying the firm's mid-life crisis include one who wears a nose ring and others who want to buy sports teams or Ferrari (the company). Cameos include actor Danny DeVito pitching jargon-filled investment products."
"Blackstone produced its first holiday video in 2018 as a replacement for its New York holiday party, as the firm had grown too large. Earlier this month, at a conference, Gray said the video was a way for the world's largest private investor to "make fun of ourselves." Blackstone's video ends on a poignant note in memory of Wesley LePatner, a Blackstone executive who was killed in the tragic summer shooting at the firm's NYC headquarters. The video said she "always made us smile.""
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