Crap Speech

On April 23, 1991, Gerald Ratner was the CEO of the world's most successful jewelry chain. He was the golden boy of British business, turning a small family firm into a billion-pound empire. Then, he stood up at a corporate conference and made a joke. When asked how he sold a sherry decanter for such a low price, he replied: "Because it's total crap." He went on to say his earrings were cheaper th...