Microsoft’s Ballmer Finds Eggs Don’t Suit Him

PRAGUE (Reuters) -The first thing Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer thought of when a Hungarianstudent attacked him with eggs this week was that he had to keep hissuit clean, he said on Thursday.

The student threw three eggs at Ballmer, the head of the world’slargest software maker, while he spoke at a university in Budapest onMonday.

He said on Thursday he was later told the student was angry over aHungarian government tender in which Microsoft was not involved.

"I thought it was a joke… maybe some prank, some theatre from theuniversity. Then I heard a sound — Boom! And I looked at the boardbehind me, and I said ‘uh oh, I have a problem’," Ballmer said duringthe Czech leg of his tour through Europe and Israel.

"I thought, ‘I have to keep this suit clean’ so I ducked under thetable because I was worried, egg doesn’t clean off very easily."

A video circulated widely on the Internet showed the studentshouting and throwing three eggs at Ballmer, who crouched behind thepodium. The student then left, escorted by university staff.

Ballmer then continued his speech.

"Oh, he waved to me on the way out, and I waved back," Ballmer said.

It was not the first food attack on a Microsoft executive.Protesters hit company founder Bill Gates with four custard pies in1999.

(Reporting by Michael Winfrey; Editing by David Fogarty)