Posted on 06/23/2023 7:09:09 AM PDT by lowbridge
A Las Vegas billionaire has revealed OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush tried to sell him cut-price tickets for the doomed Titanic dive — telling him it would be even safer than crossing the street.
Property financing tycoon Jay Bloom — a one-time business partner of late “Everwood” star Treat Williams — shared a series of text messages showing how Rush tried to sell him and his son, Sean, spots that eventually went to Shahzada Dawood, 48, and his son Suleman, 19.
As far back as April, Rush started pushing a “last-minute price” of $150,000 — a $100,000 discount from the usual $250,000.
That steep discount was offered after Bloom admitted he and his son were worried about the safety of the sub that imploded, killing Rush and his four wealthy Titanic tourists.
“My son’s friend researched what could go wrong and put a little scare in him,” Bloom texted the CEO in February. “He’s excited to go, but concerned about the danger.”
Rush, 61, replied that he was “curious what the uninformed would say the danger is.”
The businessman then listed “perceived threats to the vessel,” including attacks by giant sea creatures and anything that “compromises the hull,” suggesting it was likely “really stupid stuff.”
“Yeah very stupid,” the now-dead CEO replied, dismissively.
“While there’s obviously risk it’s way safer than flying in a helicopter or even scuba diving. There hasn’t even been an injury in 35 years in a non-military sub,” Rush wrote.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
I wonder when the movie comes out... cutting corners, positive proclamations, dubious affiliations, belief in a cutting corners, the flim flam of it all, massive search efforts, back track to implosion, and GPS shark tracking Tags leading to final resting place.
It might make a good movie, but since we all know the ending, the reveal would be the spoiler. Fade to crabs...
That meant that they were one short on the crew.
Ironically, that's probably the reason Rush was on the dive. He didn't want to make it look like anything was wrong.
I don’t understand how anybody would even consider doing this.
Well, if you are stupid enough to be playing with your phone when you step off the curb — he’s right.
And, many folks are that dumb.
I guess there is “safe as crossing a street” in my neighborhood that sees very little traffic. And then there is cross I95/128 in Boston at 3:30 PM on a Friday afternoon.
It’s all context! LOL
It would be a pretty short movie. While we all waited for “The end” on Thursday, the movie really ended on Sunday...about five minutes after it started.
Not much suspense either - like the Titanic movie(s), everyone knows the ending.
Good point. We’ve all heard that “voice”, tells us stuff we want to hear.
Depends on the street, the city, and the time of day. I can show you some streets in Atlanta where his claim just might be true.
How many successful dives to the Titanic did this thing make?
In San Francisco, it probably is.
I suspect those companies who supplied ocean gate with parts is in legal trouble. Heard of a least one company who refused to certify a part at the depths ocean gate needed.
I’ll say one thing for Stockton Rush, he took the same risk as his customers.
“It would be a pretty short movie. While we all waited for “The end” on Thursday, the movie really ended on Sunday...”
What’s that called in cinema? Prequel? Flashback? Start with the ending, like the ending of The Soprano’s. Maybe some stop action... instant blackout! Fade in some Maria Casalles operatic overture, title...
Back stories, psychological/pathological fingerprints... easy.
I wouldn’t be surprised if somebody is already working on a screenplay. Upcoming Summer blockbuster.
“All of us have known at least one type like this Rush guy, a salesman/confidence artist who blows off any concerns with a “Yeah, yeah, everything‘s gonna be FINE. Why are you listening to the naysayers? Relax, trust me.“
Recall the Steven Wright joke... “watch this, I think I can do it, I saw it in a cartoon once”
He was funny.
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