Get All Access for $5/mo

What Elon Musk Really Thinks of 'Silicon Valley' The billionaire behind Tesla and SpaceX thinks the creators of the new HBO series 'Silicon Valley' need to spend a little bit more time at Burning Man.

By Benjamin Kabin

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

This week Mike Judge, Dave Krinsky and John Altschuler premiered their new HBO comedy series Silicon Valley, but not everybody thought it was funny.

Many in the audience at the Fox Theatre in Redwood City, Calif., said the show hits the mark in illustrating the enormous power that engineers wield in Silicon Valley, but according to Elon Musk the real Silicon Valley is "not that kind of soap opera."

"None of those characters were software engineers," Musk told Recode. "Software engineers are more helpful, thoughtful, and smarter. They're weird, but not in the same way. I was just having a meeting with my information security team, and they're great but they're pretty fucking weird — one used to be a dude, one's super small, one's hyper-smart — that's actually what it is."

Related: Mike Judge's New Series 'Silicon Valley': Will You Watch?

Musk said the show fails to capture Silicon Valley's carefree attitude about how people are perceived and suggested that Judge just didn't "get it" because he's never been to Burning Man festival.

"I really feel like Mike Judge has never been to Burning Man, which is Silicon Valley," Musk said. "The parties in Silicon Valley are amazing because people don't care about how they're perceived socially … Hollywood is a place where people always care about what the public will think of them, and it's f--king sad, and the show felt more like that."

Benjamin Kabin

Journalist

Benjamin Kabin is a Brooklyn-based technology journalist who specializes in security, startups, venture capital and social media.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Leadership

How to Close the Trust Gap Between You and Your Team — 5 Strategies for Leaders

Trust is tanking in your workplace. Here's how to fix it and become the boss your team needs to succeed.

Marketing

6 Cost-Effective Ways to Acquire Brand Ambassadors

Boost your brand's visibility and credibility with budget-friendly strategies for acquiring brand ambassadors.

Health & Wellness

Get a Year of Unlimited Yoga Class Downloads for Only $23 Through June 17

Regular exercise has been proven to increase energy and focus, both of which are valuable to entrepreneurs and well-known benefits of yoga.

Growing a Business

He Immigrated to the U.S. and Got a Job at McDonald's — Then His Aversion to Being 'Too Comfortable' Led to a Fast-Growing Company That's Hard to Miss

Voyo Popovic launched his moving and storage company in 2018 — and he's been innovating in the industry ever since.

Side Hustle

'The Work Just Fills My Soul': She Turned Her Creative Side Hustle Into a 6-Figure 'Dream' Business

Kayla Valerio, owner of vivid hair salon Haus of Color, transformed her passion into a lucrative venture.

Business Culture

Why Remote Work Policies Are Good For the Environment

Remote work policies are crucial for ESG guidelines. Embracing remote work can positively impact your business and employees.