In an unexpected twist to the high-stakes legal battle between tech titans, one of the lawyers representing Elon Musk against OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman leads a double life as a professional clown.
The Lawyer in the Ring: Musk vs. OpenAI
Jaymie Parkkinen, an attorney with the firm Toberoff & Associates, is deeply involved in the ongoing lawsuit between Elon Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The dispute centres on the origins and direction of the artificial intelligence company, which Musk co-founded with Altman back in 2015.
Musk departed the venture later over strategic disagreements and has since accused OpenAI, under Altman's leadership, of betraying its founding mission to benefit humanity in favour of chasing profits. The lawsuit, which also implicates Microsoft, alleges the entities are monopolising the generative AI market. Altman has countered these claims, stating Musk left the project early and has levelled accusations of harassment.
From Courtroom to Comedy: The Clown Cardio Venture
Outside the courtroom, Parkkinen pursues a radically different passion. According to a report by Business Insider, he not only performs as a clown but is the founder of a successful fitness venture called 'Clown Cardio' in Los Angeles.
Parkkinen clarified that his clowning is not the traditional birthday party style. He uses the term "clown" similarly to how others might say "improv" or "comedy," forgoing the classic red nose and wig for raw, improvised performances that explore human identity. "When you strip away all the social masks... who are you?" Parkkinen mused. "And the clown tries to answer that question."
The Clown Cardio business was born from the realisation that the physicality of clown comedy provides an intense workout. The concept gained significant traction after being featured in The New York Times in 2024, leading to franchise interest across Europe.
Performance in Law and Life
Parkkinen believes his unconventional sideline directly benefits his legal career. He draws a parallel between litigation and performance, noting both are about connection. "At the end of the day, it's just about connecting with people, and so is being a lawyer," he explained. "You're connecting with a judge, a jury, opposing counsel."
He suggests other corporate lawyers could gain from similar creative pursuits, stating they often "miss out on this huge gift that's right at their fingertips." However, for now, his clown activities have taken a back seat due to the demanding schedule of the Musk-OpenAI case.
Parkkinen, known for previously stating that Musk "does not use a computer," declined to discuss specifics of the litigation with Business Insider and did not respond to a request for comment from The Independent prior to publication.
