Print

A relative of Chris Larson

20 (66.7%)

A Prosper employee

3 (10%)

A random stranger that wandered into Prosper's offices

6 (20%)

I have added a better guess in the discussion thread

1 (3.3%)

Total Members Voted: 27

[HollowOak]

This blog post from Prosper, in the "Borrowers" section of their blog, has a video embedded (watch it quickly, it may not be there for all eternity).

It shows Chris Larsen, the founder and CEO of Prosper.com talking to an older, somewhat portly, gent about something and then advising this gentleman to apply for a loan on Prosper.com (as a favor to Chris if you follow the dialog).

Now this raises an number of very interesting questions in my mind.

Who can this person be? See the poll options for my thoughts.  

And what is the leitmotif for this discussion? Why is it happening in what I presume to be the Prosper offices? Do you think this is staged?  If so, why is the sound so damned bad? Did they pay Equity (SAG?) fees for the actor or did a few of the office guys get together and slapped this touching little cameo together in their break time?

If this is not staged, do you think someone just had a video camera ready on the rare occasion this happened, or does this happen frequently that (perhaps random) strangers on the street sees the Prosper.com sign on the office building, wanders in off the street and gets to talk to the CEO who then advises them to apply for a loan?

So many questions, so many scenarios. Have fun. Be amusing.

ETA: Fixed spelling error.

[Beerbud1]

I heard the older man in the video is Chris Larsen's father.

[big-al]

I heard the older man in the video is Chris Larsen's father.

Safe bet, since I believe he calls him 'Dad' in the video.  The actual loan listing is linked somewhere in an older thread.

[Urbi_et_Orbi]

Yes, it's Larsen's dad (note how he is being used as a surrogate in kicking at the SEC).

His listing was one of the very first ones to become a loan in P3.

http://www.prospers.org/forum/prosper_site_down-t14612.0.html;msg252706#msg252706

Here is the listing:
http://www.prosper.com/invest/listing.aspx?listingID=416275

His profile:
http://www.prosper.com/groups/member_home.aspx?screen_name=jimbo29blue&display_mode=5

[TotoMMB]

1) I want my 46 seconds back
2) Larsen should have called him "Pops".

ETA: Forgot to mention that I love his first loan. $5,750. 60% subsidized by son. Paid back in one payment.

[Faithful_Steward1]

The son only paid 10% toward the second loan.

[Alan]

I see your video and raise it with my find: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDSbi5Z_N98&NR=1

Perhaps the quiet period had an illogically exuberant aftereffect?

[Cushie]

I see your video and raise it with my find: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDSbi5Z_N98&NR=1

Perhaps the quiet period had an illogically exuberant aftereffect?

Wow, that's just....well, I don't have words, really.  I'd give PMI kudos for collecting on ONE loan but sounds like the borrower just manned up and collected on herself.  So yes, it's a great story on how people can be good, but how about getting that crack collections team doing some collections?!

BTW, are you THE Alan?  As in Alan with prolific porn star knowledge from the old boards? 

[Tokyo Joe]

BTW, are you THE Alan?  As in Alan with prolific porn star knowledge from the old boards?  

Haha, I was hoping it was THE "alan" too (he never used caps)...  However, I think this Alan, nice tho he seems, is not that alan.

So I wouldn't get irrationally exhuberant if I were you...

[Cushie]

BTW, are you THE Alan?  As in Alan with prolific porn star knowledge from the old boards?  

Haha, I was hoping it was THE "alan" too (he never used caps)...  However, I think this Alan, nice tho he seems, is not that alan.

So I wouldn't get irrationally exhuberant if I were you...

Damn, I missed that Alan.  I think I may be irrationally exhuberant naturally, though.  Sorry.  

HANG ON.  There's a post from the Alan above that uses the words "irrational exhuberance."  Weird.

I think there is irrational exuberance concerning the prognosis for Person-to-Person lending given the prevalence of misrepresentation concerning borrower identity. The role of interpersonal investigative work has been vastly misunderestimated.

[Tokyo Joe]

BTW, are you THE Alan?  As in Alan with prolific porn star knowledge from the old boards?  

Haha, I was hoping it was THE "alan" too (he never used caps)...  However, I think this Alan, nice tho he seems, is not that alan.

So I wouldn't get irrationally exhuberant if I were you...

Damn, I missed that Alan.  I think I may be irrationally exhuberant naturally, though.  Sorry.  

HANG ON.  There's a post from the Alan above that uses the words "irrational exhuberance."  Weird.

I think there is irrational exuberance concerning the prognosis for Person-to-Person lending given the prevalence of misrepresentation concerning borrower identity. The role of interpersonal investigative work has been vastly misunderestimated.

He's trying to keep a low profile, but just between me you 'n the lamppost here, I'll whisper in your ear...

He is a very powerful man... His name rhymes with "Deep Throatspan"

He gets very nervous around exhuberance... 

[Cushie]

Gotcha (I think) 

[HollowOak]

I see your video and raise it with my find: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDSbi5Z_N98&NR=1

Perhaps the quiet period had an illogically exuberant aftereffect?

An interesting observation arise from this. Both my video and the one referenced in this post is by a user "Prosperdotcom2". That made me wonder and after scratching around, I found a user "Prosperdotcom".

The latter is titled "Prosper Marketplace Inc., which leads me to believe it is the legit Prosper userid, althoug it has not been used for a year or so.  Makes me wonder if they felt the need for a 2.0 YouTube presence?    Perhaps there is a better backstory, such as that one of their employees left and forgot to give the others the password to the original Prosper userid on YouTube.