Hi, Alex here,
This is SpeakEasy, turning small talk into smart talk.
Today:
πΈ Trillions: The new billions
π Big. Bigger. Bazillion: Numbers gone mad
π Pizza Power: From street toβ¦everywhere
π¬ S.T.A.R.T: How to talk to anyone
π€ Iron Chef: Kitchen carnage
β¦and more.
Words, wit, & culture! π§
Because life is too big for small talk.
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Now, todayβ¦
NEWS YOU CAN USE
Turn headlines into talking points.

Huang, Altman, Musk
πΈ Trillions: The New Billions
Remember when a million sounded huge?
When The Six Million Dollar Man was basically sci-fi pornography for accountants β βWe can rebuild himβ¦ for six million dollarsβ?
Fast-forward to now, and six millionβs what startups spend on beanbags and kombucha.
Even billions feel passΓ©.
The Trillion Era is here β where numbers sound like typos and egos come with their own GDPs.
π’ $5 Trillion Man (NVIDIA)
NVIDIA just hit $5 trillion, powered by every AI model, self-driving car, and questionable βAI companionβ app you definitely didnβt download using their chips.
Theyβre printing money faster than China can clone their chips, and CEO Jensen Huangβs black leather jacket collection probably has its own neural network by now.
π€ $1.4 Trillion Dream (OpenAI)
OpenAIβs lining up an IPO at $1.4 trillion β despite still not making a profit.
Apparently, profitβs an outdated concept when your product forgets basic maths but writes perfect filthy limericks on demand.
π $1 Trillion Man (Elon Musk)
Elon could pocket $1 trillion if Tesla sells 20 million cars by 2030.
Minor hitch: his new far-right bromance just scared off a million potential buyers.
Who knew βfree speechβ could cost so much market share?
π―π΅ Meanwhile, in Japanβ¦
In a country where CEOs bow for raising prices, trillionaires arenβt trending.
When ZOZOTOWN founder Yusaku Maezawa (only a billionaire) flaunts his fortune, Japan mostly rolls its eyes.
Here, humility still beats hype β for now.
π³οΈ POLL: Is any CEO worth a $1 trillion payday?
DECODE THIS
OpenAI wants to go public at a $1.4 trillion valuation.
But what does IPO actually stand for (besides βInvestors, Please Overpayβ)?
Answer at the end. π
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FAMOUS WORDS
βTo make a million, start with $900,000.β
(Morton Shulman, Canadian politician, 1925-2000)

tenor
π¬ Can you name the film?
π° 30 days to spend $30 millionβ¦
Answer at the end of the issue.
WORD WISE
π Big. Bigger. Bazillion.
Hyperbole (hy-PER-buh-lee, not βHyper-bowlβ β that sounds like a high-tech Japanese toilet or an American football game) means exaggeration for effect. And when numbers get stupid-big, language does too.
βZillion,β βgazillion,β βsquillion,β βbazillionββ¦ all nonsense, all brilliant.
They're not in financial reports (yet), but in conversation, they tell your listener something real: this number is absurd.
It's emotional maths.
π‘ PRO TIP: When the facts feel flat, play with exaggeration. Hyperbole adds colour β βIβve told her a million timesβ lands better than βIβve told her repeatedly.β
β DON'T SAY: βTechnically, a gazillion isn't a real number.β (Thanks, Captain Obvious. You must be fun at parties.)
THE CULTURE CODE

Pizza β global comfort food
π Pizza Power
If my eldest were a megalomaniac CEO, she'd eat pizza every day (pineapple and ham, no apologies).
But pizzaβs come a long way, from humble 16th-century street food in Naples to a global icon in a market nearing $300 billion.
Next time youβre sharing a slice, drop one of these fun facts and watch jaws (and cheese) drop.
πΊπΈ Americans eat 49 slices each per year (give or takeβ¦probably take.)
π° The $1.1 billion pizza β In 2010, programmer Laszlo Hanyecz paid 10,000 Bitcoin for two Papa John's pizzas worth $41.
Today? Over $1.1 billion. May 22nd is now Bitcoin Pizza Day (or Laszlo Hanyecz heavy drinking day.)π‘οΈ The Pentagon Pizza Index β When the CIA starts ordering extra-large, the world starts worrying.
In 1990, 21 pizzas landed at the Pentagon the night before Iraq invaded Kuwait. In 2025, Dominoβs deliveries spiked before Israel hit Iran.
Forget stock tips β follow the toppings.π Royal approval β The Margherita (tomato, mozzarella, basil) was baked in 1889 for Queen Margherita of Savoy to match the Italian flag. Lucky she wasnβt German.
π€― What theβ¦?! β Hawaiian pizza? Invented in Canada. By a Greek guy (drops micβ¦)
π‘ PRO TIP: Foodβs a universal connector β and pizzaβs proof you can unite the world with bread, cheese, and mild judgement over toppings.
π¬ FOLLOW-UP: βOne pizza forever β which one?β
β DON'T SAY: Itβs called PIE! (The worldβs bigger than New York.)
TALK TOOLBOX
π How to S.T.A.R.T. Any Conversation
Pizza all finished? Now you have to actually talk to someone? π³
Nervous? Yup, been there.
English not your first language? I understand.
I've got something that really works.
It's called S.T.A.R.T.
Connect with confidence, wherever you are.
Read the full framework here (6 min read)
BECAUSE THE ROBOTS ARE COMING
π³ Iron Chef
Turns out, cookingβs a tougher gig.
This one tried to make breakfast, and it was kitchen carnage.
This one dropped the pan, slipped in its own omelette, and possibly filed for workersβ comp.
And yes, the owner dressed it in a French maid outfitβ¦
Chefs, your jobs β and dignity β are safe.
π¬ FOLLOW UP: Remember the word βclanker?β Looks like itβs sticking! Have you seen it used anywhere?
ANSWERS
What does IPO mean?
IPO = Initial Public Offering β when a company invites the public to buy in for the first time (right before the insiders cash outβ¦)
π¬ Name the Film: Brewsterβs Millions (1985)

A broke minor-league baseball player inherits $300 million β but only if he can spend $30 million in 30 days without keeping any or telling anyone why. Harder than it looks.
π Cultural Impact: the go-to metaphor for reckless spending β long before tech bros made it a lifestyle.
π§ Deep Dive: Since the novel was written in 1902, there have been 13 film versions. Time for a new one?
π¬ Your Turn: Whatβs your favourite film about money?
LAST WEEK
π³οΈ POLL: Would you swallow a robot for a health check?
A) π€ Absolutely β if it helps catch things early β 45%
B) π¬ Maybe β if it doesnβt crawl back up β 35%
C) π« No chance β Iβll take my chances with the scope β 20%
π¬ Your Two Cents
A.C: βIf it stops bad things from happening in my ass, then I'll happily agree to have something weird stuck up my ass for a few minutes! (Wow, did I really just type that?)β
S.Y: βWould want to know it deactivates and βnaturallyβ leaves the body after a while.β

Thanks so much! Iβm coming for you, Joe Roganβ¦π€£
THIS IS THE END
That's it for #44.
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