Meet the clown representing Elon Musk in OpenAI lawsuit
Elon Musk's 2025 lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman has an unexpected twist: his lawyer, Jaymie Parkkinen, is also a professional clown.
While challenging OpenAI's move from nonprofit to corporation, Parkkinen splits his time between the courtroom and running Clown Cardio classes in Los Angeles—where improv, physical comedy, and aerobics are all part of the act.
Who is Jaymie Parkkinen?
Parkkinen sees real overlap between clowning and law—both require sharp timing and reading the room.
He even shared in a 2025 letter that Musk "does not use a computer," making device searches tricky.
As the case moved forward, Parkkinen pushed for subpoenas of former OpenAI leaders like Mira Murati.
Why should you read about it?
It's not every day you see courtroom drama mixed with slapstick comedy skills.
Parkkinen's blend of legal strategy and performance art brings fresh energy to one of tech's biggest lawsuits—and shows how creativity can shake up even the most serious battles over AI.