NYU Student Who Made $100K On Osama Shirts Has Change of Heart

Via Harary's former website

We briefly noted yesterday that a 23-year-old business student at NYU made over $100,000 in two days selling t-shirts that trumpeted the death of Osama Bin Laden. But now CBS is reporting that the budding entrepreneur, Maurice Harary, had a change of heart, and is refunding all of the proceeds: "Celebrating over the death of someone, whoever it is, is evil in my eyes." No word on whether the newly-enlightened Harary plans to confiscate every Che Guevara shirt at NYU.

Though he had "been in e-commerce before," Harary "didn't know it would be that viable of an idea." This is somewhat surprising, given the fact that someone has a new house because of Truck Nutz and 40oz American flag koozies. But perhaps most appalling is the unoriginality of the shirts themselves. Come on! Where is "Veni, Vidi, Osami" or "Ich Bin Ein Killed Osama," or "I Watched Obama Interrupt Celebrity Apprentice And All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt"? If you're gonna go into business as a war profiteer, go big or go home.

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By Christopher Robbins in News on May 7, 2011 4:45 PM

Comments [rss]

ed_Extinct

It's funny, the same people idolize and wear Che Guevara shirts etc, are the same schnooks who cry about "war crimes" of western leaders. Maybe it's all about irony, but I doubt it.

jaycjay

I think it's more about having heard only the "romantic" version of the Che story, and not being aware of the much of the full story.

ed_Extinct

And that's the comedy, not reading into history and seeing who this man really was idolizing him and then calling Bush a war criminal—it's comedic.

justthinkin

"Celebrating over the death of someone, whoever it is, is evil in my eyes." Yeah, but profiting from it sure was fun, wasn't it? Good old American capitalism...ya gotta love it!

valeriob

This guy came out up 2 grand, tops.

Only 30 more epic world events and he can pay of this years' tuition.

petey2

Isn't there some website where you provide the image, and they provide the printing? I forget what the site is offhand.

Guest

Yes, there are tons of vanity press sites, like Zazzle and Cafe Press.

petey2

cafe press is the one I was thinking of. Had an account there years ago. They've probably increased what they charge since then, but it cuts out the overhead.

ktinnyc

I don't believe this kid made $100k in two days because there is no way he can fulfill his orders. Getting 10,000 t-shirts much less getting 10,000 t-shirts in the right sizes and having them screened isn't something you can do overnight.

ANGRYGOD11

It counts if he has the orders placed and will deliver sometime in the future. As long as he doesn't accommodate buyers' remorse and allow cancellations, he has the cheddar.

jaycjay

""Celebrating over the death of someone, whoever it is, is evil in my eyes." No word on whether the newly-enlightened Harary plans to confiscate every Che Guevara shirt at NYU."

Are there Che Guevara shirts that celebrate his death? I've certainly never seen one.

Kyle Petersen

You're right though, the way it's written isn't clear at all. I think they're equating celebrating the life of Che with celebrating the death of the innocent people he killed... it's a little convoluted.

Kyle Petersen

Che ordered the summary execution of political prisoners in the wake of the Cuban Revolution. Although trendy and fashionable, he's still a war criminal.