Hedge fund guys — well, every one but Steve Cohen — are known for keeping low profiles.
But how many Westporters have heard of Bobby “Axe” Axelrod? Or AXE Capital, the Westport-based firm he runs?
Okay, there’s a reason he and his company are so hush-hush.
They exist only on Showtime.
But starting Sunday (January 17, 10 p.m.), the whole country will know about Axelrod and AXE. That’s when the cable channel debuts “Billions,” a “hedge fund drama” set in our town.
Business Insider predicts big things — across America, not just in hedge fund hot spots like here. The show “hits a sweet spot between the laymen and the industry folk,” BI says. The reason: “Billions” focuses more on men and their egos than on the intricacies of Wall Street.
Damian Lewis plays Axelrod. His nemesis is US Attorney Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti), who tries to nail him for insider trading.
Here are some other reasons Business Insider loves “Billions”:
- “The show nailed what all the hedge fund traders wear — fleeces and loafers. That’s the classic uniform.”
- “There’s a punchline about Axelrod going to Hofstra while his smart (but not quite worthy) analyst went to Stanford. It’s the age old street-smarts vs. book-smarts Wall Street feud.”
- “Rhoades’ wife is Axelrod’s in-house shrink. An in-house psychologist is not unheard of on Wall Street. Most famously, billionaire Steve Cohen had one at SAC Capital before he was forced to turn it into a family office.”
Westport is used to TV star turns. Rod Serling’s classic “Twilight Zone” episode “Last Stop: Willoughby” was set here. The Ricardos and Mertzes moved from New York, in “I Love Lucy”‘s last season. Elizabeth Montgomery and her “Bewitched” family lived at “1164 Morning Glory Circle” in Westport.
But those were so 20th century. It’s now 2016. Today, Westport is all about hedge funds.
In more ways than one, it’s showtime!
(Hat tip: Allan Siegert)
