---
title: "Watch a Tech CEO Melt Down in a Racist Tirade"
description: "Michael Lofthouse, a San Francisco tech CEO, launched a racist tirade against a nearby family celebrating a birthday at a restaurant."
date: "2020-07-08"
modified: "2020-07-08"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/watch-tech-ceo-melt-down-racist-tirade"
categories:
  - "Future Society"
tags:
  - "racism"
  - "san francisco"
  - "tech"
  - "the digest"
  - "trump"
---

# Watch a Tech CEO Melt Down in a Racist Tirade

![Michael Lofthouse, a San Francisco tech CEO, launched a racist tirade against a nearby family celebrating a birthday at a restaurant.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/watch-tech-ceo-melt-down-racist-tirade2.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: jordanlizchan via Instagram\</em\>*

## Disgusting Rant

On Saturday, Michael Lofthouse, CEO of the San Francisco-based cloud computing firm Solid8, launched a racist, threatening rant against an Asian family sitting near him at a restaurant.

What set him off was as innocuous as his comments were vile: *[The Washington Post](<https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/07/08/lofthouse-racist-video-tech-ceo/>)*[ reports](<https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/07/08/lofthouse-racist-video-tech-ceo/>) that Lofthouse became enraged after the family sang "Happy Birthday" to their daughter. [Video footage of the scene](<https://www.instagram.com/p/CCRsJF7DDeX/>) — be warned that it's full of racist language — shows Lofthouse cursing at the family until a server from the restaurant kicks him out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX_r6PUcU2g

## Systemic Problem

During his outburst, Lofthouse invoked President Trump's name. According to the family who experienced Lofthouse's wrath, that's a sign that Trump's repeated racist comments and [anti-immigrant stance](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/trump-admin-dna-samples-asylum-seekers>) is emboldening racists to act out.

"The surfacing of racists is so prevalent right now," Jordan Chan, a member of the family who filmed the scene, wrote in an [Instagram post](<https://www.instagram.com/p/CCRsJF7DDeX/>), "even in such an ethnically/culturally diverse and liberal state like California, because Trump HIMSELF uses his position to incite racial tension."

## Saving Face

Lofthouse has since issued an apology [to San Francisco's *KGO-TV*](<https://abc7news.com/tech-ceo-michael-lofthouse-carmel-valley-ca-racist-solid-8-consulting-lucia-restaurant/6305099/>), saying he "was taught to respect people of all races, and \[he\] will reflect on \[his\] actions and work to better understand the inequality that so many of those around \[him\] face every day."

But Lofthouse's victims aren't buying it.

"He's just saving face. I think he really meant what he said and what he did," Raymond Orosa, another of the family members, told *KGO-TV*. "I don’t believe his words because his actions speak louder than the words he's saying."

**READ MORE:** [Tech CEO apologizes for racist tirade against Asian American family caught on video](<https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/07/08/lofthouse-racist-video-tech-ceo/>) \[*The Washington Post*\]

**More on systemic racism:** *[Robot Journalism Accused of Racism](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/robot-journalist-accused-racism>)*

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)