Poor, Unfulfilled Bankers Now Following Their Bliss

Released from "golden handcuffs," ex-moneytypes now exploring creative pursuits. Oh, good.

By ELIZABETH BOUGEROL

Updated 11:54 AM EST, Mon, Jan 5, 2009

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What will happen on Wall Street during the first full week of trading in 2009?

According to an insufferable NYT piece we missed (because it ran the day after Christmas, when we were still in a turkey-slash-vodka coma) meet the big fat new trend: Wall Street staffers who lost their jobs when everything pooped its pants in '07 are now making lemonade, seeing their enforced freedom as a golden opportunity to follow their bliss. And their bliss, it turns out, involves "putting down their Wall Street Journals and picking up Variety as they try their hands at comedy, filmmaking and writing." Like one guy, formerly of Morgan Stanley, who's now doing pieces for the Onion News Network. Or a Goldman Sachs refugee who's now working on his screenplay, "a cross between Swingers and Annie Hall." Daily Intel's headline for this item -- "This is Annoying" -- sums up exactly how this news item is like a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

So after bilking America out its savings, Wall Streety types are now looking for "something that might fulfill them." Aww, you poor, sad little bankers! Go feed your souls, we totally support that. And when your severance runs out and you can't spring for group sushi at Blue Ribbon or retreat to Tahoe to finish your novel - and when the stream of ladies who don't want to pay for their own Grey Goose habit dries up - we promise to keep a straight face. We'll totally help you load the van to move from Soho to Bushwick. Maybe.