In a surprising twist, Ripple’s Chief Technology Officer, David Schwartz, recently revealed the behind-the-scenes challenges of orchestrating a live Q&A with the legendary musician Ozzy Osbourne and the iconic band Black Sabbath.
During a candid post on X, Schwartz explained his time at WebMaster, where he encountered technical issues and dwindling interest from fans in anything beyond Ozzy himself.
It turned out that maintaining the excitement was more complex than anticipated. Schwartz eventually “cheated” by employing pre-prepared questions and edited responses using outdated software.
Early Experiences with Online Interactions
According to Schwartz, moderators were tasked with conveying fan inquiries via phone before transcribing the band’s responses. However, when questions about Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward did not materialize, he had to resort to using “canned” queries to fill in the gaps.
I typed up Ozzy’s answer with the best of intentions, but the connection issues made it nearly impossible to get it right. I even had to edit out inappropriate language.
Then I cheated. I circulated preselected questions among the other band members as necessary. I did my best with what I heard…
— David ‘JoelKatz’ Schwartz (@JoelKatz) July 24, 2025
Only a handful of genuine fan questions made it through the noise. Schwartz later expressed his frustration with the outcome, wishing for a more authentic interaction.
The Challenge of Editing Ozzy’s Responses
The poor audio quality meant much of Ozzy’s notorious humor was lost in translation. Schwartz frequently encountered the “C-word,” which he sanitized under corporate direction.
His struggle with keeping the conversation suitable for all audiences underscored the challenges of hosting credible live events in a digital format. This experience left him questioning his ability to conduct a genuine online dialogue.
Fan Remembrance and Crypto Booms
Intriguingly, Schwartz’s admissions surfaced shortly after the news of Osbourne’s passing on July 22, 2025, at 76 years old. As fans mourned, several developers launched tribute meme coins.
One project, The Mad Man (OZZY), saw a staggering increase of over 16,000%, reaching a peak of $0.0039 and briefly achieving a market cap of $3.80 million before concerns about potential scams led to instability.
Ongoing Developments with Ripple and the SEC
In another significant development, Ripple recently made waves in the financial world. CEO Brad Garlinghouse announced that the company intends to retract its cross-appeal against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
In a mutually beneficial move, the SEC is also anticipated to withdraw its appeal. This agreement solidifies Ripple’s initial civil penalty of $125 million and brings the two parties closer to a resolution regarding whether XRP sales are akin to securities transactions.
Featured image from Getty Images, chart from TradingView
