Michael Ovitz

Yeah. And that was what the lunch was by. I hosted him at my house. He brought like five different associates of his. And I said, look, the thing that defines great cities at the end of the day is is the cultural aspects and the sporting aspects, the places where people gather. So you could have a great city that's beautiful, the architecture's amazing, but there's no cultural ethos in it.

Yeah. And that was what the lunch was by. I hosted him at my house. He brought like five different associates of his. And I said, look, the thing that defines great cities at the end of the day is is the cultural aspects and the sporting aspects, the places where people gather. So you could have a great city that's beautiful, the architecture's amazing, but there's no cultural ethos in it.

So if you look at the best cities in the world from New York to London to Paris, they are loaded with cultural ethos. initiatives and people can get lost in them. I mean, I don't go to any, to Paris or London without making time to see a half a dozen museums, even if it's just for a short touch and go. So my answer to him was build an art collection and promote a couple of your sports teams.

So if you look at the best cities in the world from New York to London to Paris, they are loaded with cultural ethos. initiatives and people can get lost in them. I mean, I don't go to any, to Paris or London without making time to see a half a dozen museums, even if it's just for a short touch and go. So my answer to him was build an art collection and promote a couple of your sports teams.

You have amazing sports stars. And I think that The museum is critical. And in New York, MoMA needed to move to the next level. So we needed a director, and it was a tough assignment because the director has to be intellectually sufficient, a leader, a thought provider, as well as someone who has the ability to see around corners. And it's very tough to do that.

You have amazing sports stars. And I think that The museum is critical. And in New York, MoMA needed to move to the next level. So we needed a director, and it was a tough assignment because the director has to be intellectually sufficient, a leader, a thought provider, as well as someone who has the ability to see around corners. And it's very tough to do that.

Plus a sense of what the constituency wants to see. And that constituency is not just native New Yorkers, but it's visitors. I mean, the amount of tourists we get is staggering. We take 20,000 people a day through the museum seven days a week. You need like a founder in that role. Exactly right. You need someone with a founder's mentality. We were...

Plus a sense of what the constituency wants to see. And that constituency is not just native New Yorkers, but it's visitors. I mean, the amount of tourists we get is staggering. We take 20,000 people a day through the museum seven days a week. You need like a founder in that role. Exactly right. You need someone with a founder's mentality. We were...

lucky enough to stumble on a man named Glenn Lowry, who had absolutely no contemporary art background. He had a PhD in Islamic art, knew nothing about contemporary art, but was smart, articulate, well-spoken, handled people brilliantly, and had this extraordinary burning desire to learn. And everyone that was debating it was saying, well, he doesn't know anything about art.

lucky enough to stumble on a man named Glenn Lowry, who had absolutely no contemporary art background. He had a PhD in Islamic art, knew nothing about contemporary art, but was smart, articulate, well-spoken, handled people brilliantly, and had this extraordinary burning desire to learn. And everyone that was debating it was saying, well, he doesn't know anything about art.

You know, well, that's true. But neither did I when I started. And you learn. And we chose Glenn. It was an extraordinary long shot compared to all the other candidates that all had mega museum backgrounds. Turned out to be the greatest thing we ever did. Glenn came in and didn't do anything at the beginning except study. You know, there's a lot of employees there. There's a lot of art there.

You know, well, that's true. But neither did I when I started. And you learn. And we chose Glenn. It was an extraordinary long shot compared to all the other candidates that all had mega museum backgrounds. Turned out to be the greatest thing we ever did. Glenn came in and didn't do anything at the beginning except study. You know, there's a lot of employees there. There's a lot of art there.

We have 35,000 pieces of art just in storage.

We have 35,000 pieces of art just in storage.

We have the greatest reservoir of modern art in the world. In the world. And we needed someone that knew how to display it, could raise money. understood who the new artists were, didn't lean on some of the older postulates of the museum, which was only take established artists into the collection. How do we start a fund for the 21st century, taking young, new artists?

We have the greatest reservoir of modern art in the world. In the world. And we needed someone that knew how to display it, could raise money. understood who the new artists were, didn't lean on some of the older postulates of the museum, which was only take established artists into the collection. How do we start a fund for the 21st century, taking young, new artists?

Glenn turned out to be that guy.

Glenn turned out to be that guy.

He did so many things that were fantastic. First of all, he led by example. There was nothing he asked anyone to do that he wouldn't do himself. Yeah. That's the cardinal rule of being a leader. First person out of the Fox. You want someone to do that? You better be able to do it yourself. And if they don't do it, just go do it.

He did so many things that were fantastic. First of all, he led by example. There was nothing he asked anyone to do that he wouldn't do himself. Yeah. That's the cardinal rule of being a leader. First person out of the Fox. You want someone to do that? You better be able to do it yourself. And if they don't do it, just go do it.