Article on Buffett’s Response to French Incident

October 10th, 2006

Playfuls.com has an article up where Buffett discusses the recent incident in France: “Jimmy Buffett Putting Drug ‘bust’ In Past”

Laid-back singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett says he was both amused and frightened by his recent “drug bust” in France.

“They hauled me into the interrogation room, and I figured I was going to jail,” Buffett said. “They were not kidding around.”

The misunderstanding was cleared up and Buffett was cleared to leave the country with only a fine for not carrying his prescription. He was, however, disappointed by erroneous press reports about the incident.

“The great thing about it is I was totally innocent,” he said.

Buffett said the incident sparked some song ideas, including “Too Long in Toulon” and “Bad News Can Spoil Your Breakfast,” the latter inspired by an e-mail from Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart.

Read the entire article here or read Jimmy’s official statement about the incident here.

Tagged in In The News, Personal/Family

Statement from Jimmy on France Incident

October 7th, 2006

Jimmy tells “what happened” with regards to the French incident on Margaritaville.com.

I have never taken it and couldn’t tell you the difference between a hit of ecstasy and Excedrin PM. My vices these days consist of boat drinks, beer, wine and the occasional hot fudge sundae.

Read the entire statement here.

Tagged in Personal/Family

Buffett’s Pills Seized by French Authorities

October 6th, 2006

The New York Post reports that Buffett was caught in France with more than 100 tablets of ecstasy.

French authorities reportedly seized more than 100 tabs of club drug “ecstasy” from Jimmy Buffett’s luggage this week.

The Grammy-winning singer got into trouble when he flew into Toulon-Hyères International Airport in the South of France on a rented private jet and customs officials started poking around in his suitcases. Buffett, who was on his way to chill out in the ritzy resort town of St. Tropez, was detained, but not arrested, and allowed to go free after paying a fine of 300 euros – about $380.

A spokeswoman for Buffett denied he’d had any ecstasy in the luggage. The rep insisted, “It was medicine prescribed by his doctor.” But she wouldn’t name the medicine or what ailment Buffett was using it for. She also refused to comment on why, if the substance was legally prescribed, Buffett agreed to pay the fine.

Read the entire story here.

Tagged in In The News, Personal/Family

Article on Warren and Jimmy Buffett

June 28th, 2006

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has an article on Warren Buffett that contains a section about him and Jimmy: “All about Buffett — Warren, not Jimmy”

He is not believed to be related to musician Jimmy Buffett. But Warren’s sister, Doris, has tried for 20 years to find a genetic link. Jimmy calls him “Uncle Warren” and Warren calls him “Cousin Jimmy.”

They did travel together in 1983 to Norfolk Island in the South Pacific, which has a large population of Buffetts, who are descendants of men who participated in the 1789 mutiny aboard the HMS Bounty.

And Cousin Jimmy wrote a 2003 song having to do with Uncle Warren. Part of the ditty goes, “I bought Berkshire way back when it was cheap. I bought Berkshire way back then and I do nothing but keep…it.”

Berkshire Hathaway, a diversified company with major interests in GEICO, life insurance, annuities and jewelry, is Uncle Warren’s company. Subsidiaries include Fruit of the Loom, Dairy Queen, See’s Candies, Borsheim’s Fine Jewelry and World Book. Its 2005 net income was $8.5 billion.

Cousin Jimmy bought his first shares in 1989. As of Monday, the stock was selling at about $91,500 per share. The per-share price dropped $600 that day on news of Uncle Warren’s largess.

Read the entire article here.

Tagged in In The News, Personal/Family

Buffett on Video for Berkshire Hathaway Meeting

May 26th, 2006

At the annual Berkshire Hathaway meeting, Jimmy Buffett appeared on a video with Warren Buffett and Tom Brokaw:

PART 5 of Video — BUFFETT AND BUFFETT SINGING

This was a clip with Tom Brokaw sitting in between Warren Buffett and Jimmy Buffett. Warren had a ukulele, and Jimmy had his acoustic guitar. Warren said something about the size of the instrument being an indication of talent. They then sang “Ain’t She Sweet.” This was for a conservation fundraiser in New York. Brokaw is friends with Warren and sends him mail on occasion.

Jimmy has sad in the past that he and Warren Buffett are distant cousins.

Read the whole article here.

Tagged in In The News, Personal/Family