Ballmer Gets Cannes Media Person of the Year

Our first reaction to the news that Steve Ballmer was winning an award at Cannes was,“Really??” That was until we figured out it was the Cannes Advertising Festival’s media person of the year award as opposed to a Cannes Film Festival award. Our reaction this was, “Really?!”

Guardian UK today reports that Steve Ballmer is set to follow in the footsteps of Sir Anthony O'Reilly, the former chief executive of Independent News & Media; Lachlan Murdoch, Viacom chairman and chief executive Sumner Redstone; and Italian prime minister and media magnate Silvio Berlusconi.

While we’re sure that Ballmer is completely worthy of this award, the Guardian also notes that Microsoft has been sponsoring Cannes International Advertising festival since 2002 and the agreement expires following the festival in 2010. Good to know. That aside, we’d like to take the time to look back on some of Ballmer’s more memorable moments in front of the media:

• Copious amounts of sweating, tons of developers and a look of sheer determination.
• Ballmer sells Windows 1.0, bundled with can you believe it, REVERSI!
• Steve cheering himself on, “Whooo!!! Give it up for ME!”