Microsoft chairman admits on live TV that he does things in a geeky way

Feb 1, 2013 13:16 GMT  ·  By

Stephen Colbert invited Microsoft founder Bill Gates on his set this week to talk about polio eradication, information technology, the decline in childhood deaths worldwide, and even his coolness level.

Towards the end of the interview, Colbert tells Gates, “You’re out there saving the world, and yet, you don’t have the cool factor,” adding that Steve Jobs is now “the memories of a cool guy.”

To which Gates calmly replies, “Ah, he was always cooler than me.” Colbert can’t believe he’s not upset about this, yet the Microsoft founder insists that “it’s ok.”

“He was brilliant. He had his own style, he had his own approach. And, you know, mine is… I guess a little geekier than his was,” he says.

I guess “a little” geekier is putting it very mildly. But if you ask me, Gates’ candor (at least in this particular interview) is just as cool as Jobs’ mercurial temper was.