In an unexpected revelation, David Schwartz, the Chief Technology Officer of Ripple, has come clean about a rather entertaining misadventure from his past. Schwartz recently confessed on social media that he once orchestrated a fake fan Q&A session featuring none other than Ozzy Osbourne and the legendary band Black Sabbath. This fascinating anecdote not only sheds light on Schwartz’s creative, if not slightly deceptive, methods but also highlights the fervent devotion of music fans, especially when it comes to rock legends like Ozzy.
As Schwartz detailed in a candid post on X, he humorously admitted, “I cheated,” reflecting on the circumstances that led him to fake a supposedly live interaction between the band and fans. At the time, Schwartz was working for a company called WebMaster, tasked with moderating an event that was meant to create an authentic connection between fans and their idols using old ConferenceRoom software.
However, Schwartz discovered that the fans were far more interested in engaging with Ozzy than with any other members of Black Sabbath. “I specifically asked the moderators to give me questions that weren’t for Ozzy. There just weren’t any,” he lamented. This situation led to a rather intriguing solution: Schwartz utilized pre-written questions to engage the rest of the band while the spotlight remained firmly on the Prince of Darkness.
In his attempt to create an illusion of authenticity, Schwartz shared, “I passed a canned question to each of the other band members in rotation, mixing what I could make out of their responses with scripted answers from their manager.” This clever balancing act might have prevented an awkward silence, but it left Schwartz feeling disillusioned. “It wasn’t the authentic interaction with celebrities that I wanted it to be and that I tried to make it,” he reflected, admitting only “two or three” genuine inquiries from fans managed to reach the band.
To add to the challenges of the evening, Schwartz humorously recounted the ordeal of filtering Osbourne’s notoriously colorful language. “Ozzy’s answer featured the C-word a lot. The bad C-word. The one that Americans really don’t like to say. It was pretty close to the only word I could hear clearly,” Schwartz clarified, noting the difficulties he faced due to the poor quality of the connection. He meticulously sanitized Ozzy’s responses, ensuring that, despite the chaos, the event could still maintain some semblance of decorum.
I typed up Ozzy’s answer as closely as I could, probably getting it way off due to the poor connection quality. I censored the C-words.And then I cheated. I passed a canned question to each of the other band members in rotation. And I mixed what I could make out of what they…— David ‘JoelKatz’ Schwartz (@JoelKatz) July 24, 2025
This amusing story gained traction shortly after the unfortunate news of Osbourne’s passing at 76, prompting an outpouring of tributes from fans and friends alike. The nostalgia for the rock icon also sparked an exhilarating surge in meme coins inspired by his legacy. Among these, The Mad Man (OZZY) skyrocketed by an astonishing 16,800%, hitting a trading price of $0.003851 and reaching a market cap of $3.85 million. While the cryptocurrency market can be notoriously volatile, such spikes in value often signify the deep public connection to cultural icons.
Meanwhile, Schwartz’s tale is not the only significant news surrounding Ripple recently. As the company navigates its ongoing legal battles with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse made headlines last month by announcing plans to withdraw its cross-appeal against the SEC. This decision followed a district court ruling that dismissed attempts from both parties to lessen Ripple’s hefty $125 million civil penalty. The court’s ruling also affirmed that Ripple’s institutional XRP sales are classified as securities transactions.
Recent developments have sent XRP’s market activity soaring, with notional open interest in its perpetual futures contracts reaching an unprecedented high of $8.8 billion—an increase tied to nearly 2.9 billion XRP held in open contracts. This is significantly up from the previous record of $8.3 billion reached last January, coinciding with prior market fluctuations surrounding key political events, including the second term of Donald Trump.
As we continue to watch the ripple effects—pun intended—of these events unfold, it’s clear that the intersections of music, digital currency, and celebrity culture are captivating narratives worth following. The story of Schwartz’s amusing Q&A attempt offers not just nostalgia but also a reminder of the human desire for connection, both in the realm of rock music and cryptocurrency. What other captivating stories might emerge from the complex web of entertainment and technology? Only time will tell.
For more insights into the cryptocurrency landscape and its impact on culture, make sure to check out [CoinDesk](https://www.coindesk.com) and [CoinTelegraph](https://cointelegraph.com), where you can find the latest developments in the ever-evolving world of digital assets.