The following is the text of an in-person interview with a private equity “dude” working in Rockefeller Center. We had to give him a nickname for the sake of protection.

BankersBall: Do you think the Rockefeller Center is the most prestigious place to work in NYC?
Private Equity dude: No.

BB: What is?
P.E. Dude: My desk.

feeling high & mighty.

BB: No really.
P.E. Dude: (shrug)

BB: Where can you get a lunch for under $10 around Rockefeller Center, if at all?
P.E. Dude: I don’t know.

BB: Do you identify with the Atlas statue?
P.E. Dude: I haven’t thought of it yet.

BB: Do you now, that I’ve brought it up?
P.E. Dude: No, but I’ll make a joke about it at the office.

BB: Where do you buy your shirts?
P.E. Dude: Hickey Freeman, Saks, Bergdorf, Zegna

BB: Have you ever gone ice-skating in the rink?
P.E. Dude: No.

BB: How about the NBC Studios tour?
P.E. Dude: No.

BB: Seen the Rockettes?
P.E. Dude: No.

BB: Do you think about the meaning of Rockefeller Center?
P.E. Dude: I didn’t know it had a meaning … I know the history of it. Rockefeller decided to … it was during the Depression.

Above each of the doors, there’s this very particular artwork. I think it’s in bronze. Well the artist who put that together had some very communist ideals, so obviously he had to tone it down. If you take a look, you’ll see the workers with a hammer … it’s an idealization of the worker.

It’s pretty funny.

BB: Okay, do you identify with the worker?
P.E. Dude: If the worker’s working in a salt mine, yes.

BB: What does that mean?
P.E. Dude: Because salt mines eat you alive.