FinTwit GOATs Unite: Dr. Parik and @Greg16676935420 Answer Your Burning Questions

The two meme lords are pretty much Avengers in the FinTwit cinematic universe. Here, they discuss what their lives are like online and off.

Hi, I’m Dr. Parik Patel, BA, CFA, ACCA, Esq. If you don’t know me already, I’m a Chartered FinMeme Analyst (CFA) with a particular expertise in #stonk valuation (pro-tip: just multiply by two).

I’ve been told that I have a particularly special insight into the world of finance and memes, so I decided to set up this newsletter to share my thoughts on the latest news, memes, and everything in between!

For this week’s edition I’ve decided to change things up a bit and interview @greg16676935420, one of finance Twitter’s most popular and memorable personalities.

Greg arrived out of the blue on the FinTwit scene in just February of this year, and since then he’s amassed a following of more than 160,000 and caught the attention of high-profile investors including billionaire shark Mark Cuban. His ultra-fast quips and hilarious memes have endeared him to the crypto and finance communities, and he’s even been crowned the unofficial CEO of dogecoin — just ask Dogebeans, who released a coffee bean called “The CEO” with Greg’s face on it!

But who is Greg, and what’s his story? The team at Bullish thought it would be a great idea to lift the curtain on this underground community of FinTwit characters to offer some insights into our IRL lives. Stay tuned for interviews like this every few weeks, both with serious investors and fellow meme’ers alike.

Greg, your Twitter header image is iconic. Who created this remix of The Last Supper and can you explain why you chose Dr. Parik to represent Jesus?

Greg: I created it myself. I put Dr. Parik in the middle because he is the FinTwit GOAT.

Dr. Parik, how do you feel about being the center of the FinTwit Last Supper?

Dr. Parik: I feel honored to be chosen as the center of this auspicious occasion. I really hope that FinTwit has many more years to go and we never face a proverbial Last Supper. But if we do, I want everyone in this picture to be there.

Do either of you have an all-time favorite tweet from someone other than yourself? What about your all-time favorite Twitter accounts, past or present?

Greg: I'll have to think on this one.

Dr. Parik: My all-time favorite tweet has to be this one of Greg’s. It’s simple but brilliant. Had me on the floor laughing for a good 15 minutes. When it comes to quick one-liners, Greg cannot be beaten.

Both of you have had many memorable interactions with public figures on Twitter. Whether Chamath Palihapitiya, Jose Canseco, Mia Khalifa, or Mark Cuban… What is the best way to get a famous person’s attention (and response) online?

Greg: For me, the best way to get a famous person's attention on Twitter is to be quick and consistent. Turn on push notifications and try to think of something on the spot as soon as they tweet. Also doing a PhotoShop involving them or a picture they posted always helps.

My most memorable interaction? I probably have to go with the Jose Canseco exchange just because of how perfect it all played out and how my tweet blew up. Close second would be the first time Elon replied to one of my tweets with his signature "double laughing emoji.”

Dr. Parik: The best way to get a famous person’s attention is to find a way to make them laugh and be persistent. Everyone loves to laugh, whether they’re a billionaire investor, an actress, or an athlete. If you can make them laugh consistently, you’ve got their attention.

My most memorable interaction? Gotta be with Tyler Winklevoss when he asked whether it was true that I’d bought some bitcoin (it is). Meme’ers and investors unite.

When you wake up, how long do you wait before checking Twitter? Do you have a morning routine or things you like to do before you go balls to the wall on the internet?

Greg: ​​I usually check Twitter as soon as I wake up in the morning, as well as whenever I wake up in the middle of the night. I have an alarm system set up where the lights in my bedroom automatically turn on whenever Elon tweets. JK, but I should get something like that since he usually tweets at like 3AM.

Dr. Parik: I’ll probably wake up, have a shower, have breakfast, and crack on with some work before I check Twitter. Just kidding. I know it’s bad, but Twitter is probably the first thing I’ll check in the morning. I’ll spend 10 minutes catching up on messages and replies, and then go about my morning. I love humor, and sifting through funny tweets will instantly lift my mood, even on Monday mornings.

If you could get a RT from anyone on Twitter right now, who would it be and what sort of content would you want them to signal boost?

Greg: If I could get a retweet from anyone, it would probably be Elon retweeting one of my goodnight or good morning tweets.

Dr. Parik: Elon Musk, without a doubt. I would love him to retweet my Tesla valuation.

What inspired your sense of humor? Were there any influential comedians, shows, social media accounts, or anything else that changed the way you thought about cracking jokes on the internet?

Greg: I used to lurk a lot during the beginning of the GameStop/meme stock days, and loved keeping up with John W. Rich and Dr. Parik's accounts. Eventually, I decided to make one so I could interact with them and everyone else on Twitter.

Dr. Parik: I don’t think there was anything specific. As a kid, I would regularly get in trouble for cracking jokes in class, so I think that memes and humor have always been a part of me. I love finance and I love comedy, so bringing the two together felt like a no-brainer.

How do you decompress after a long day on the web?

Greg: After I say my nightly goodnight tweet, I usually log off for about three minutes and try to sleep. But then, I’ll fret that I'm missing something exciting and open Twitter again. I don't really ever fully decompress.

Dr. Parik: I usually hit the gym in the evenings, which helps me to mentally switch off and also get ripped. As the great Masquatma Gandhi said, “I cannot teach you swoleness, for I myself do not always achieve it. I can only teach you to never skip leg day.” After an intense workout, I’ll go back on Twitter, post a few memes, and then head to sleep.

Within the FinTech and FinTweet space, whose account makes you groan the most? For example, this tweet from RampCapitalLLC about muting Robert Reich cracked me up.

Greg: If you mean groan in a good way, I would have to say @Cokedupoptions. He always comes up with crazy tweets and has amazing interactions with actual professionals.

Dr. Parik: Probably a toss-up between Professor Galloway (he’s “professor cold takes” for a reason!) and Peter Schiff. Both of them are just so far down the rabbit hole of bad takes that seeing them on my timeline will probably make me lose money.

When it comes to stock and crypto-related news, where do you regularly go for information? Any particular websites or social media accounts? Newsletters that you religiously read?

Greg: ​​Walter Bloomberg gives me the news.

Dr. Parik: Twitter is probably the quickest way to get news about stocks and crypto in real-time, but beyond that, I really like Kyla Scanlon, Vuk Vukovic, and the GRIT Capital newsletter.

What’s the best perk of being famous on Twitter? What about the worst part of getting so much attention?

Greg: Best part is just knowing maybe I made someone's day by making them laugh. Also the merch that some companies send is pretty cool. The worst part is I miss a ton of stuff due to so many notifications.

Dr. Parik: I like to make people smile, and the best part is getting a DM from a random follower telling them that I made their day. The worst part is that I now have a bunch of scammers pretending to be me (I will never offer you free bitcoin… only samosas!)

Do you still believe in buying the dip? Why or why not?

Greg: Always buy the dip (not financial advice).

Dr. Parik: Whether it’s garlic dip at Domino’s or the S&P 500, it’s always a good idea to buy the dip. This is because every dip is the bottom of a new rip. The real trouble comes when the dip keeps dipping…

Outside of finance, crypto, and FinTech, what other categories or topics do you follow on Twitter? Sports? Music? Any favorite accounts from those areas?

Greg: I follow sports (mostly Dave Portnoy and the rest of the Barstool people).

Dr. Parik: I am Indian which means I obviously love cricket, so following the India national cricket team is a MUST.

If Dr. Parik and Greg were to create a product or brand together — whether merch or a podcast — what would you want to collaborate on? Greg, I know you make coffee beans. Have you considered expanding the product scope to other offerings, such as tea (which is also a Dr. Parik favorite)?

Greg: Hmmm this is a tough one. I always thought trading cards would be cool lol.

Dr. Parik: Dr. Patel’s Masala Chai. I think the world would be a much better place if people started the day with a cup of tea instead of coffee.

Where do you imagine yourself in 5 years? Will you still be cranking out jokes and memes on Twitter? Will Twitter even be as popular?

Greg: I think I will still just be spending 9 hours a day scrolling on Twitter

Dr. Parik: Hopefully still cracking jokes on Twitter. I really enjoy it and the memes keep me laughing throughout the day. Beyond that, I’m not sure! Living life, laughing daily, and making other people smile :)