A guest at the White House correspondents' dinner displayed remarkable composure on Saturday, calmly finishing his salad course moments after gunfire erupted and armed Secret Service agents flooded the ballroom of the Washington Hilton hotel.
A video clip captured Michael Glantz, a senior talent agent with the Creative Artists Agency, leisurely forking leaves from his burrata salad into his mouth. In the background, the stage was empty except for an officer in tactical gear holding a rifle.
“I’m a New Yorker,” Glantz told the New York Times. “We live with sirens and activity happening all the time. I wasn’t scared. There are hundreds of Secret Service agents hurtling themselves over tables and chairs, and I wanted to watch.”
By Monday, the hashtag #saladman was trending on social media as Glantz's coolness under pressure garnered widespread attention. The author of the original video post, reposted by CNN's Brian Stelter, wrote, “My man.”
Glantz explained why he did not take cover like others. “First of all, I have a bad back. I couldn’t get on the floor, and if I did get on the floor, they’d have to bring in people to get me off the floor. And I’m a hygiene freak. There was no freaking way I was getting in my new tux on the dirty Hilton floor. It was not happening.”
In a later interview with TMZ, Glantz said he thought it was “silly” how much attention his salad-eating had received but did not mind being laughed at.
Glantz was not the only guest whose actions drew notice. An unidentified woman was seen on camera taking two unopened bottles of champagne and wine from a table, while another attendee took a selfie clutching a bottle of champagne in the background.
