Join our Waitlist for Expert Advice!

Of Course Elon Musk Used a Farting Unicorn to Show Off a New Tesla Feature The billionaire has an affinity for what some might classify as childish things, and guess what? That's great.

By Stephen J. Bronner Edited by Dan Bova

Elon Musk

Elon Musk is considered by many to be a genius. His latest venture aims to connect our brains to computers, while his other projects involve electric cars, solar panels, space rockets, artificial intelligence and tunnels.

But the 45-year-old billionaire also has an affinity for what many people consider to be childish things: He plays video games and often displays a crude sense of humor. Case in point: To show off Tesla's new sketch pad feature, he tweeted an illustration of a farting unicorn. The drawing originally appeared on a mug designed by Tom Edwards that Musk says is "Maybe my favorite mug ever."

My co-workers didn't really know what to make of this. Some shook their heads. I find it hilarious.

Related: 19 Weird Things We've Learned About Elon Musk

Can I prove that enjoying potty humor is good for creativity? I can't, but I don't really need to. Studies show that people who are amused can more easily solve problems. From The New York Times:

In a just completed study, researchers at Northwestern University found that people were more likely to solve word puzzles with sudden insight when they were amused, having just seen a short comedy routine.

"What we think is happening," said Mark Beeman, a neuroscientist who conducted the study with Karuna Subramaniam, a graduate student, "is that the humor, this positive mood, is lowering the brain's threshold for detecting weaker or more remote connections" to solve puzzles.

Surely, all of the high-stakes, world-changing issues mentioned above (OK, maybe not the tunnels) that Musk works on are challenging. If he amuses himself (and others) with silly, juvenile things such as farting unicorns and naming Tesla vehicles Models S, 3 and X, we're all the better for it.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Musk had drawn the unicorn.

Stephen J. Bronner

Entrepreneur Staff

News Director

Stephen J. Bronner writes mostly about packaged foods. His weekly column is The Digest. He is very much on top of his email.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

These College Classmates Started a Side Hustle to Solve a Common Household Problem — Then Scaled It From $0 to Over $50 Million in Under 4 Years

Tumble co-founders Justin Soleimani and Zach Dannett envisioned a better, easier-to-handle kind of rug — so they got to work on it.

Business Solutions

Upgrade Your ChatGPT and Automation Skill Set

With this e-degree, you'll learn how to enhance productivity with automation and AI tools.

Business Solutions

We Put ChatGPT's Biggest Competitor to the Test

Could this be the AI that revolutionizes the way you work?

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Marketing

8 Budget-Friendly AI Tools to Boost Your Marketing

The utilization of AI for marketing has only grown, but many small businesses may wonder how to afford it. Fortunately, there's a wealth of AI options available that can enhance marketing efforts and improve efficiency without significant investment.

Business News

You Have 2 Months to Prepare Your Business for AI Agents. Here's Why!

Get Ready: AI Agents Are Transforming the Workforce Faster Than You Think