While Everyone Else Hit the Floor Amid Gunfire, One Man Ate Salad: "Salad Man" Goes Viral at U.S. Banquet

Even in the midst of a tense situation filled with gunshots and screams, his calm demeanor as he stayed in his seat became a hot topic and sparked both controversy and interest across American online communities and social media.

On April 27, Yonhap News, citing sources such as The New York Times (NYT), reported on a man who remained composed and continued eating his salad while the ballroom of the Hilton Hotel in Washington DC-where the White House Correspondents' Dinner was being held-descended into chaos due to gunshots.

The ballroom at the Hilton Hotel in Washington DC quickly turned into chaos due to gunfire. Photo by AP Yonhap News

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This man is Michael Glantz, a senior agent at Creative Artists Agency (CAA), a major entertainment and sports agency headquartered in Los Angeles. When gunshots were heard outside the banquet hall, attendees hurriedly crouched down or hid under the tables. However, unlike the others, Glantz was seen staying in his seat, looking around, or eating burrata cheese salad served as an appetizer. This scene was captured in a split-screen broadcast by CNN and quickly spread across social media. Online, Glantz was soon given the nickname "Salad Man."

In an interview with the NYT, Glantz stated that he was not particularly shaken by the situation. He said, "I'm a New Yorker. I always live with sirens and chaotic situations. I wasn't scared." He then explained his reason for not leaving his seat, adding, "I just wanted to see hundreds of Secret Service agents jumping over tables and chairs."

When gunshots were heard outside the banquet hall, attendees hurriedly ducked down or hid under tables. However, unlike the others, Glantz remained seated, looking around or eating a burrata cheese salad served as an appetizer. Photo by CNN

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When asked why he didn't get down on the floor like others, Glantz cited health and hygiene concerns. He said, "I have a bad back, so I can't sit on the floor. If I did, other people would have to help me up." He continued, "I am very particular about hygiene. There was no way I was going to sit on the dirty floor of the Hilton Hotel in a brand-new tuxedo."

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