First Time I Unexpected Met Elon Musk At A Cocktail Party

March 2, 2018 | Beverly Hills, California

On March 2, 2018, I got a phone call that completely changed my plans for the night.

About an hour before a cocktail party was supposed to begin, a friend called and told me about an intimate gathering of movie industry people at a modest home in Beverly Hills. I didn’t have anything planned, so I decided to go.

I’m glad I did.

The cocktail party was hosted by the William Morris Endeavor Talent Agency during the week leading up to the Academy Awards.

When I arrived, it was exactly as my friend had described it: a small private home in Beverly Hills. I walked inside, went down a short hallway, and could hear people gathered in the room ahead.

Then I saw someone I immediately recognized.

It was Elon Musk.

I was shocked. I had gone from having no plans that evening to unexpectedly standing in the same room with Elon Musk.

He was talking with several people who I assumed were connected to the entertainment industry. I watched the conversation for a moment before deciding to go over and say hello.

I introduced myself, and we shook hands.

To my surprise, Elon Musk was friendly and willing to talk.

Our conversation covered several subjects: clean energy, space travel, and artificial intelligence.

Those weren’t casual topics, but they gave me an opportunity to hear how he thought about the future. My impression during the conversation was that he was curious about the world and interested in ideas that challenged the usual way of doing things.

What also stood out was that the conversation wasn’t one-sided. Even though I had approached him, he listened when I shared my own ideas.

That mattered to me because I had no idea what to expect before walking over. I was speaking with one of the most recognizable people in technology, yet he was participating in the conversation rather than simply waiting for it to end.

Then I had another reason to ask him for a photograph.

I told Elon Musk that a friend’s son was involved in a NASA STEM program. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math. I explained that I thought a photograph with him might inspire the young man.

Elon Musk smiled and agreed.

So we took the picture.

For me, the photograph became more than proof that I happened to meet Elon Musk at a cocktail party. It connected the encounter to a young person who was already interested in science and technology.

The entire evening had happened because of a phone call only an hour before the event. I hadn’t planned to attend a Hollywood party that night, and I certainly hadn’t planned on discussing clean energy, space travel, and artificial intelligence with Elon Musk.

That unpredictability is what I remember most.

I walked into a small Beverly Hills home without knowing exactly who would be there. A short time later, I was face-to-face with Elon Musk, exchanging ideas about subjects that could shape the future and taking a photograph for a reason that meant something beyond the party itself.

That’s how my first unexpected meeting with Elon Musk unfolded.