Aleksey Vayner now YouTubed
Aleksey Vayner, the investment banker wannabe from Yale, whose video seems to be spreading virally à la Lucy Gao, may have taken his site down, but the folks at IvyGate were too fast for him. The video part of his site that we described in an earlier post is on YouTube Veoh (YouTube pulled it). And ya gotta love cached links. Despite Vayner's site having been taken down, there are still some remnants lingering -- here's his background page and his modeling day rate and stats. IvyGate also has a copy of a letter he sent to UBS along with his resume. (For more news, click the "Aleksey Vayner" link below.
This man should be applauded and hired, not feared and ridiculed. Aleksey Vayner has clearly demonstrated the type of commitment and dedication Wall Street reveres. He’s accomplished in ways that fat-cat martini-drinking, cigar-smoking Wall Streeters only dream – or watch from a box-seated arena. If any of us could lift, swing a racket, dance and speak with the same power, grace and posture, I would bet the business that we’d publicize ourselves as boldly and proudly as he.
Posted by: Patti D. Hill | October 10, 2006 at 08:25 AM
I think Patti Hill is actually Alexey Vayner...
Posted by: RS | October 10, 2006 at 10:34 AM
Are you kidding me? This kid is a huge dbag.
Posted by: ChrisHenry | October 10, 2006 at 02:11 PM
I will crush you.
Posted by: a. vayner | October 10, 2006 at 03:13 PM
Mr Vayner, i want you to work for me. you have the passion, the commitment and most importantly the finesse i look for in employees. I can see you having a bright future with us, burning a trail of glittering success through the lives of the mundane, downtrodden plebs who mock and fear the likes fo us. Yes Mr.Vayner, you and i are alike in many ways, and together i believe we will be a force to be reckoned with. PS. do you have any previous experience in the fast food industry?
Yours sincerely,
Ronald McDonald.
Posted by: Ronald McDonald | October 11, 2006 at 05:58 AM
i can't believe this is the guy we are choosing to gang up on at this time. it may not be my aesthetic approach, he may seem like the governator, but he emphasizes passion, and has a theory that seems to propel him forward despite his own circumstances. he will probably accomplish whatever his definition of success turns out to be, even in the face of our nationalistic elitism. the temporary fascination with this man is nothing more than an attempt to assert dominance over a work ethic, or a fearful reaction that he may be right. isn't there something else that deserves our attention? which goal-oriented immigrant will it be next week? i hear Mexico has a few.
Posted by: bmiller | October 11, 2006 at 11:39 AM
My god he is boring and those serves were 70mph at most!
Posted by: Damien | October 11, 2006 at 12:13 PM
I got this link off a British newspaper (www.guardian.co.uk). The man's fame is spreading fast.
Posted by: Barry | October 11, 2006 at 12:38 PM
This man should be applauded - he clearly has a sense of humour!
Posted by: Rich | October 11, 2006 at 12:52 PM
I think we could all help him to build his determination by making sure that nobody offers him a job.
Posted by: Justin Sare | October 11, 2006 at 01:13 PM
I think, in all the activities he engaged in, he seemed either average or mediocre. May be he assumes that packaging it like this will appeal to Wall Street folks. He might be right. In which case, what you and I think is irrelevant, because in that instance he will have achieved his goal. But he's still full of crap.
M.
Posted by: Maz | October 11, 2006 at 01:38 PM
The poor guy. He's cheesy, So what? Does that deserve worldwide humiliation? Instead, lets humilate some of the evil bastards on Wall Street.
Posted by: Rodney Sharples | October 11, 2006 at 01:49 PM
hahhahahahah
how i laughed - this must be a joke! its just what we europeans believe all americans to be like!
Posted by: rackiec - no joke! | October 11, 2006 at 01:50 PM
Gladiator, I salute you! clap clap
Posted by: pk | October 11, 2006 at 01:52 PM
Ahh, the kid is just young and immature. There's nothing dangerous or hateful here, just poor judgment. Real executives, Wall Street or otherwise, would be impressed with his self-aggrandizement and stay far away. Achieving success takes more than drive, it takes patience, discipline, and a certain degree of humility, or at least self-awareness. These latter qualities seem completely missing.
Posted by: BeenThere | October 11, 2006 at 01:56 PM
I've watched this guy talk about why he's more qualified than the entire polpulation of the world, and it's quite clear that if this is the type of bullsh**er that works in Investment Banking then we need to seriously reconsider the whole capitalist system. However I do like the way he managed to get believe, conceive and weave in the same sentence. Nice. And the break breaking bit: that was very exciting. But overall, I think one of his mates should have advised him against sending such an idiotic promo video.
Posted by: anon | October 11, 2006 at 02:06 PM
"if you're going to work, work. If you're going to train, train" and if you're going to be ridiculed, then why not be ridiculed by the whole world?
Posted by: milo | October 11, 2006 at 02:17 PM
this guy is a fugging loser...i think he has a serious mental defect and lives in a dream world...freak!
Posted by: bob | October 11, 2006 at 02:18 PM
Lol. He is a tad full of shit but....what he is saying is outta the management books. I reckon that in 10 years he will have made it through sheer effort and the fact that there are always others out there that identify with the people we laugh at e.g. George Bush
Posted by: shamo | October 11, 2006 at 02:19 PM
Do we know if this is for real or is it a piss take?
Posted by: Si | October 11, 2006 at 02:32 PM
Im sure a certain paper merchants in Slough would love to employ him
Posted by: dan | October 11, 2006 at 02:59 PM
Of course it's a gag. The guy's name gives it away. Vayner as in vain - er. Very funny, though.
Posted by: Jeff Alberti | October 11, 2006 at 03:11 PM
The last place where Aleksey’s future belongs is on Wall Street. He is meant for much greater success…Success that he will personally create and enjoy in abundance. While the rest of you continue to laugh and enjoy in what you call “his humiliation”, Aleksey will enjoy much greater rewards from his perseverance and dedication.
Congratulations to you Aleksey, you are a true Rhino!
Posted by: Canuk | October 11, 2006 at 03:16 PM
Quite an innovate waw to apply for a competitive job, reminds me of the Legally blonde film.
If he believes what he says, criticisms won't matter to him.
Posted by: Polly | October 11, 2006 at 03:43 PM
the kid's funny..we're lucky him smiling in bed with a busty blonde hooker sporting a 20 incher was edited out of the final cut..
the kid must be from former USSR originally judging by the name.
Vayner seems to be a Russian Jewish name. there are cult detective writers-brothers in Russia with the same name. pronounced more like Vuiner not vainer as the previous poster suggested. good luck to the kid though.
Posted by: luxurycat | October 11, 2006 at 03:43 PM
Well, if Wall St. doesn't work out, he should be a motivational speaker. I'm going to the gym.
Posted by: flysi | October 11, 2006 at 04:06 PM
This man is fabulous. I have nothing but respect for him and no doubt he will achieve an enormous amount. There may be an element of comedy in his video, yet this should be siphoned off in a good humoured way. Fair enough, this man takes things pretty seriously. Why begrudge him success? I would certainly employ him. He is only an exaggaration of what so many Americans are like. I love the American drive, though it can be a little bewildering. In fact most Americans are fantastic. Having said that, I feel only pity for those sad and empty souls who watch such a video and take it as an affront. Those mocking him are a bunch of sad, ivy league embarrassments/wannabes, who forget that America is not a country for the seasoned observer, and was made a great nation by brilliant immigrants who were given greater (though by no means great) opportunites than elsewhere. The worst type of American is the one who forgets this, and thinks they have a higher place than the rest of their nation, pointing out some hilarious lineage that originated in the back end of England and makes my milkman look like King Henry VIII. The people who laugh at this video are mostly those who seem to think that a moneyed elite equates to the same thing as a historically landed aristocracy. Sadly this will never be the case, and therefore most Europeans find such deception far more amusing than dear old Aleksey Vyners video. Many successful Americans are like this man, only less humourous and more offensive. This man may seem ridiculous, but he represents all that is good about The US, apart from Oreos... maybe.
Posted by: Algernon Moseley | October 11, 2006 at 04:06 PM
I also got this link from a British newspaper website - www.guardian.co.uk - are people actually congratulating this guy? He has absolutely zero charisma, no charm, seems to be totally socially inept. He is the very last person I would send to meet a client. Me have big muscles me lift weights *grunt* me should be investment banker. If he gets employed thankyou Wall Street, thankyou because if you employ people like him you will continue to drive more and more business away from New York straight to London. Thankyou for helping London become the world financial hub, and in turn giving my law firm more business. If he's one of your top graduates - your university fees are a rip off.
Posted by: tobygreen637 | October 11, 2006 at 04:12 PM
Aleksey, you Go For IT!
Anyone who doesn't hire you is a FOOL!
You would be an asset to any institution!
But perhaps you'd achieve your goals more rapidly if you went into business for yourself. Why be a grunt worker? You would be over qualified and under appreciated. And of course sorely underpaid!
You have what it takes to be in business for yourself!
Posted by: micki | October 11, 2006 at 04:23 PM
Boring speaker.
Weedy server.
Stiff dancer.
Fake Karateka (where wsa the dust from those bricks?)
All in all a bit of a Merchant Banker (BTW that's cockney rhyming slang for all you Merkins - work it out for youselves).
Posted by: Sergei de Tektor | October 11, 2006 at 04:36 PM
This man is my new idol.
I wonder if Mr Vayner has studied the 8 week programme of Rex Kwon Do?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdWR3JE5r70
Posted by: Matt | October 11, 2006 at 04:43 PM
I don't see what's so bad - or funny - about this video. OK, I have my doubts about the tennis and karate shots - they may be faked, indeed the whole thing could be a fake. But apart from that, it's just another example of the self-motivational ethic that's very popular in the business world, particularly in the US. So what?
(Oh, and if it actually *isn't* fake, which I'm unsure about, then I'm in awe... well done to that guy, I guess!)
Posted by: Alasdair | October 11, 2006 at 04:56 PM
But can he smoke two spliffs, do a couple of lines, drink 4 glasses of champers, drop an E and still party all night long? THAT'S what it takes to be an investment banker...
Posted by: Jez B | October 11, 2006 at 04:57 PM
Quite an innovate waw to apply for a competitive job, reminds me of the Legally blonde film.
If he believes what he says, criticisms won't matter to him.
Posted by: Polly | October 11, 2006 at 05:26 PM
if he's so great, why hasn't he learned to speak instead of mumbling. he sounds like rocky!
(((°) (°))) shakes head and looks heavenward
Posted by: billy bigaloe | October 11, 2006 at 05:37 PM
The video says very little-- it actually repeats every cliche from the absurd "How to be a Winner" wall calendar my uncle sent me last Christmas. This whole thing is a farce you fools! This is a joke and you lot have all played into it, revealing--from New York to London-- what is so incredibly unsubtle about the your thought processes! This was nothing but a parody of the self-aggrandizing, entitled, arrogant young American personality.
Please watch it again. With a sense of irony this time.
Posted by: Neil | October 11, 2006 at 05:57 PM
I work in the industry and this guy's resume would only be circulated for laughs. His "achievements" look magnificently dodgy, and his self-motivational philosophy is pretty low rent. I know UBS has a few problems, but they'd have to be desperate to take Amway Guy. He'll probably be able to shrug off the laughs, but may wonder in a few years time why he's ended up managing a chain of drycleaners...
Posted by: Delboy | October 11, 2006 at 06:00 PM
But let's face it. He's a thundering arse. That much is clear. All the rest is just so much hot air. Boom boom.
Posted by: S'tan | October 11, 2006 at 06:18 PM
I welcome him to our planet...maybe one day he will seem human...gimmee a break
Posted by: Nick Gall | October 11, 2006 at 06:20 PM
"the kid's funny..we're lucky him smiling in bed with a busty blonde hooker sporting a 20 incher was edited out of the final cut.."
a busty blonde hooker with a 20 incher? Guess that must have been blond rather than blondE.
Posted by: Evil C | October 11, 2006 at 07:39 PM
Was this guy bullied at school?
Posted by: Adventures07 | October 12, 2006 at 05:10 AM
Watch out Tony Robbins (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lcU3OF6Q6w). There's a NEW sherrif in town.
(PS Aleksey, nice job geting those three guys to lift that weight for you. I don't think anyone watching even noticed *tee hee*)
Posted by: nickandkeith | October 12, 2006 at 05:11 AM
how much did he pay the hottie to dance with him???
Posted by: ryan | October 12, 2006 at 05:11 AM
wow this guys is a god amongst mere men. you guys are just scared of him cuz hes going to steal your wife from you or bench press you to death. you guys have nothing on him NOTHING.
Posted by: Neveroddoreven | October 12, 2006 at 05:14 AM
If he is for reaal he will do well in the U.S. but i think they already have enough tossers there already,maybe he should try Iraq or one of the other 20 or so countrys they have bombedin the last 40 years or so.
JWM Prague
Posted by: james musk PRAGUE | October 12, 2006 at 06:16 AM
He has done for Wall Street what Ricky Gervais did for the office.
Pure comedy genius - give him a series, and an Emmy!!!!
Ian, UK
PS. Looks like ironic humour still goes over the average Americans head.
Posted by: Shadow UK | October 12, 2006 at 07:52 AM
Pity the poor woman he decides is good enough to marry him...."Failure is not an option" Eeeeeek
Posted by: Amanda | October 12, 2006 at 10:46 AM
Good for you,Aleskey!
I think those who ridicule you are jealous.
You are clearly determined to succeed and I applaud you in a world where sucess is seen, strangly, as something derogatory.
(And I live in France!!)
Posted by: debs | October 12, 2006 at 10:49 AM
He is probably spot on...am sure he has a bright future giving motivational speaking tours to overweight retarded americans in the mid-west. Apart from that he is clearly a complete t*sser
Posted by: Nick | October 12, 2006 at 11:49 AM
This guy is as big headed as they come. He is lying by saying he can serve 140 and benchpress 500lb. The guys were lifting the weights for him. Also it was somebody else breaking the bricks and it only showed the persons legs. In reality this guy is devious, big-headed, fake, boring and Russian !!
Posted by: pete | October 12, 2006 at 12:42 PM
He is my god! I can only assume that if the dancing part wasn't in there people would not be trying to humiliate him. He seems intelligent, honest and sincere.
Unfortunately, there is no-one like that in my office as most people prefer to skive taking 10min smoke breaks here there and everywhere, and every other break they can think of.
So lay off the man, he's going to be very successful and make way more money than all of us put together. I smell jealousy and the need to ridicule anything that isn't considered "the norm".
Grow up, there are funny vids on youtube.com etc but this isn't one of them.
Anyway, he's famous now, isn't he? he's gonna have the last laugh.
regards,
A supporting UK citizen.
Posted by: TigerWiger | October 12, 2006 at 03:18 PM
This guy is a legend, he's the epitome of a complete and utter w*nker!
The funniest part of the whole thing was finding he allegedly does modelling for £105 per hour! Fantastic! He's a total geek, look at him! Not remotely attractive!
Hope to god it is a wind up and this guy doesn't seriously think his "promo" video is a serious affair.
Pretentious arrogant American, with delusions of grandeur...reminds of someone else...
Posted by: Jimbob | October 12, 2006 at 04:12 PM
So 'impossibility is nothing' eh! Clearly this guy has not taken any of those pointless philosophy courses in his carefully constructed motivational and managerial development! I particularly enjoyed this concept as employed in his weight lifting exercises - which seemed to involve getting three guys to assist him in lifting a weight he was clearly incapable of lifting himself. But then, if I am not mistaken, that's a perfect demonstration of financial capitalism at work, so he should do well in his chosen profession!
Bless!
Posted by: David Baker | October 12, 2006 at 06:33 PM
The only credit I give this guy is that he has ambition. But what's with the Drago attitude? "I will krush you..." is so Nineteen Eighty's. For a History major, doesn't he know that the Iron Curtain was destroyed 15 years ago.
Posted by: Louie | October 12, 2006 at 07:58 PM
COME ON!!! Other people are holding the weight, the bricks are clearly pre-sawn, the girl does most of the dancing and the serves are no where near 140mph. The guy only demonstrates how Russian oligarch money can buy a Yale education but not manners and class. This kind of self promotion without irony or even a hint of self deprecating charm is pathetic. I realise (having been a director on Wall Street for 12 years) that some people imagine this kind of attitude helps but believe me, you have to be in some position of power to strike such a pose, not a supplicant as this fool is.
My father once said that Muhammed Ali was allowed to boast like he did because he really was the greatest, this guy is clearly not and if he really was trying to get a job at UBS as the height of his objectives he might have spent more time on relevant pastimes and personal communication skills. I boxed at international level (national champion) before applying to Goldman Sachs and there was no better way to have it come up at interview than by underplaying it. Overplay utterly minor achievements like assisted benchpressing and paying a hooker to dance with you and you get this result.
Posted by: Fabsy | October 13, 2006 at 07:30 AM
The way he is lifting those weight will give him serious back problems in about 5 years - what a loser!
Posted by: charlotteG | October 13, 2006 at 07:45 AM
Please stop personally attacking my brother Aleksey. He's really great. He is not the tosser, w*nker or complete cnut that you are making out.
Everything he does in those videos is true. And he's better now than when he made the video. Last week he broke through 112 bricks. And served at 417mph. He also bench pressed two cars. "Success is a mental thing".
My brother could beat your dad in a fight any day. My brother can dance better than your mum. My brother is the best brother in the world.
I have not been quite as successful in life because I am blind. But if my brother says something is true, it's going to be true. And he sends me 10 dollars a week back to the Ukraine where we live. He is so generous. And when we get a McDonalds here, we can spend the staff discount vouchers he so graciously sent us.
Posted by: G Vayner | October 13, 2006 at 08:04 AM
Although the philosophy this guy shares with millions of others IS sound, his cheating in the physical endurance parts of the vid ain't!
I really don't think Tony Robbins has anything to worry about here. His hundreds of millions of dollars and his Fijian resort are quite safe.
Tony Robbins has an outstanding record of achievement to back up his claims. This Vayner guy has a vid of some people lifting weights for him.
He needs to prove himself.
Posted by: Ken Hall | October 13, 2006 at 08:27 AM
Two words:
Patrick Bateman
Posted by: Dan | October 13, 2006 at 08:36 AM
So, this guy obviously went to the Arnold Schwarznegger school of charm and after dinner speaking, but hey, he's an egotistical young American male, so what do you expect? If the Yanks are that stupid they'd vote the retarded war monger George Bush into power, then this guy has to have one hell of a good future, in the land of tactlessness and obesity.
Get him on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart, he'll be a killer, and as Jon says, 'Sometimes the comedy just writes itself!'
Posted by: Old fartypants | October 13, 2006 at 08:39 AM
this dude should be shot
Posted by: Simine | October 13, 2006 at 08:57 AM
Fantastic viral ad by Adidas. Respect.
Posted by: Phil S | October 13, 2006 at 09:34 AM
My roommate went to Yale and graduated in his class. I just asked him and he said, he failed out his Freshman year and got readmitted his Sophmore year. Anyhow according to my friends at Yale that knew him, he was a patholgoical liar...I believe he once claimed to be 1 of 4 people in Connecticut certified to handle nuclear waste...WTF?! People like this deserve to have their reputation destroyed. No one on Wall Street will hire this guy becuase the industry is very tight. Everyone knows everyone.
Posted by: Andreas | October 14, 2006 at 01:59 PM
Um... either he is gay or ... who really cares.
Rich kids with spare time.
Posted by: spartan37 | October 15, 2006 at 07:43 PM
Well, I have no words to describe how sad i feel that this video was filmed in NY! that's so sad, however, hey this guy is like a fake superheroe!! I wish we had one of those in the office so we are not that bored!! hey we have many reasons to kick his ass at the end of the day :-)
However, I truly believe this guy is rich already!! I will bring as many lawyers as possible to UBS if they have leaked this video and get as much money as possible, and so he would be the OWNER OF UBS investment banking division.... hahahahhah
anyway, i hope he does not go out very often in NY, because we will kick his ass on the street if we see him with Sampras...
regards,
mark the new yorker!
Posted by: mark from New York | October 16, 2006 at 11:18 PM
I can't even laugh at this guy. This is just so unbelievably pathetic. I want to think this was a joke, but I know it's not. The guy obviously lives in his own little fantasy world. I can't even accuse the guy of lying, because a liar is believable. This guy is so over the top, and he believes, or really wants to believe, everything he's saying.
This poor guy has a stay in psych ward somewhere in his future.
Posted by: dorkstamina | October 17, 2006 at 12:14 PM
My hero.
Got the link in Sydney. Have a colleague who wants to marry the CEO and Proffesional Athlete.
Posted by: Goose | October 18, 2006 at 07:29 PM
it's sad some people believe this could be real. funny joke, however ...
- the spotters are doing all the lifting on the benchpress (arnold in his prime did ~500lbs). this guy ain't even close to the size.
- 140mph serve? I think not. just ask roddick or federer.
- anyone notice how those bricks were pre-broken? seriously.
if u thought this video was real ... well, u probably voted for Bush, watch Fox news and thought Iraq was an "imminent threat".
Posted by: gulliblefool | October 18, 2006 at 10:37 PM
what a fucking loser.
Posted by: Solidus | October 26, 2006 at 01:55 AM
from a poster above: "Anyhow according to my friends at Yale that knew him, he was a patholgoical liar...I believe he once claimed to be 1 of 4 people in Connecticut certified to handle nuclear waste...WTF?!"
I graduated from Yale this past year and was about to say this exact thing about Aleksey, both the "pathological liar" problem and the nuclear-waste lie, as one example among many.
This is not a goal-oriented work ethic...this is just arrogance.
Posted by: J.J. | October 26, 2006 at 01:25 PM
Well done, you have a degree - now how much comm did you generate last week?
From an investment banker
Posted by: Alex | October 27, 2006 at 12:02 PM
Come and make tea for me in my office.
Posted by: James Montgomery | October 31, 2006 at 11:20 AM
Obviously a scam. Read his website and the links on it to the book he's supposedly published. The man is barely literate! However, if it is true I fear for Yale. If he could get in, who couldn't? Then again George Bush went to Yale....suddenly everything starts to make sense!
Posted by: Ben | October 31, 2006 at 12:26 PM