On a segment filmed for CBS's "60 Minutes," host Lesley Stahl sat down with Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen to discuss his controversial memoir, Idea Man, which chronicles Allen's complex relationship with former business partner Bill Gates.
During the interview, Allen talks about his and Gates's shared love of computers, but also touches on Gates's intense work ethic and his, at times, overbearing management style.
"[H]e was always pushing people to work as hard as they possibly could," Allen told "60 Minutes." "Maybe me more than everybody else. [...] There was a lot of yelling [from Bill]. [...] You had to fight back intensely to stand your ground and make your position and your convictions expressed."
Allen writes in Idea Man that Gates "thrived on conflict" and "would demean people and force them to defend their positions."
Allen also shared with "60 Minutes" a painful memory that took place soon after he was diagnosed with cancer in 1982. Allen described walking in on a conversation Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer were having about Allen's future stake in Microsoft.
"They were basically talking about how they wanted to dilute my share down to almost nothing. It was a shocking and disheartening moment for me," Allen said.
Though he retained his shares, Allen left the company soon after. Gates, he told "60 Minutes," never apologized for the incident.
"60 Minutes" notes that many of Allen's numerous post-Microsoft business ventures have flopped. Previously the third wealthiest man in the world, Allen is currently the 53rd wealthiest. When asked whether he felt he needed the guidance of someone like Gates, Allen replied thus: "In technology, most things fail, most companies fail. But I had some whoppers."
Allen also insisted that Idea Man is not a "revenge book." He told "60 Minutes" that wrote it in 2009, when he was battling cancer.
"The timing had nothing to do with the many wonderful things that Bill has done," Allen said in reference to Gates’s recent contributions to education and the global fight against AIDS. "I wanted to see if I could do it [write the book] and hopefully be alive to see it published."
Despite their complicated past, Allen says that his friendship with Gates remains strong: "There's a bond there that can't be denied. And I think we both feel that."
Nevertheless, Allen foresees a "heated discussion" with Gates about Idea Man, although he told "60 Minutes" that he doesn't think he'll have to apologize for what he wrote.
Today, Allen pursues a wide variety of interests. He plays electric guitar with his own band, tours the world in his giant yacht, maintains an impressive collection of vintage war planes and much, much more. He has also committed to donate much of his billions to charity upon his death. Though still a bachelor, Allen told "60 Minutes" that he hopes to settle down someday.
Watch the video (below) to hear Allen’s version of his early projects with Bill Gates and for a glimpse at Allen’s lavish lifestyle. Click here for an excerpt from Idea Man
