“Why Silicon Valley Can’t Stop Laughing at Elizabeth Holmes: Inside a Documentary Screening” — what this page in the network covers. At a recent screening of a documentary about Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of Theranos, the audience of Silicon Valley insiders erupted in laughter at her story. The film details how Holmes raised nearly $1 billion from investors like Rupert Murdoch and the Walton family, only for the company to collapse after it was revealed its blood-testing technology didn’t work. Tech workers in attendance told me they find Holmes amusing because she represents the ultimate failure of 'fake it till you make it' culture, which many in the industry see as an embarrassing but familiar trope.
The laughter also serves as a defense mechanism, distancing themselves from a fraud that tarnished the startup world’s reputation. With Holmes now serving an 11-year prison sentence, the screening felt like a cathartic release for a community still grappling with the fallout of her deception. The full version stays on the original page, which this listing opens directly.