Life Imitates '30 Rock': Rich People Collect Weird Things

"The guy with the weird hobby never gets the corner office," GE executive Jack Donaghy tells his colleague Liz Lemon in the second season of 30 Rock. Donaghy heeds his own advice and gets rid of his vast cookie jar collection in the hopes that he'll be tapped to take over the company when the CEO steps down.

Maybe things would have turned out better for disgraced hedge fund manager Paul Greenwood—who was arrested last year for defrauding clients more than $500 million—if he'd followed the same warning. Greenwood amassed a $1.9 million toy collection over the course of his career in finance—and now that he's on the hook for $331 million, he's selling it:

Next week, a lot of 1,300 vintage Steiff teddy bears and other soft toys worth approximately $1.9 million will be auctioned off by Christie's in London. The collection, which has been fastidiously cared for, includes such rarities as the Hot-Water Bottle Bear, of which there are only ten in the world, a perfectly preserved Mickey and Minnie Mouse, and a never manufactured Bonzo the Dog toy.

Did Greenwood's teddy bear-collecting habit contribute to his downfall? Probably not, but here's more management advice from Donaghy. Ignore if you dare:

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http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2010/10/life-imitates-30-rock-rich-people-collect-weird-things/64089/