Hopping over the Rabbit Hole

Chapter 1 The Shape of Things to Come: Seeing Around Corners

“You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.”

—Walt Disney

I want to thank my good friend Andy for putting this conference together,” Steve Wynn told the packed ballroom at the Encore Hotel. “These are very tough times. And it takes a lot of courage for him and his team to be out here—in Las Vegas—putting on this magnificent event.”

The crowd erupted in applause. But I was distracted. My body tensed up as I looked over at my business partner.

“Did Steve Wynn just call me Andy?” I asked with a plastered smile on my face.

“Andrew,” he paused pensively. “Andrew, on behalf of Las Vegas, I want to thank you.”

More applause.

Yup, he definitely got my name wrong. In front of 500 people. A group that included industry thought leaders, hedge fund billionaires, prominent investors, and friends. People who—until that moment—knew me as Anthony Scaramucci. Maybe the Mooch. Certainly not Andy; and, never as Andrew.

But, it didn’t matter. After all, at that very moment I was witnessing what could only be considered a minor miracle.

■ ■ ■

It was May 2009. Steve Wynn had just made the opening remarks at the inaugural SkyBridge Alternatives (SALT) Conference. His newly opened Encore hotel was opulent, filled with celebrity restaurants, gorgeous bars, and an abundance of fiery-red gaming tables, all of which stood empty as the Great Recession wreaked havoc on America’s ...