What Bill Gates is doing during lockdown: Tennis, one masked haircut
In his free time, the billionaire philanthropist also takes walks in his neighborhood, but always wears a mask
- Co-author of two Gen X pop-culture encyclopedia for Penguin Books. Won "Headline Writer of the Year" award for 2017, 2014 and 2013 from the American Copy Editors Society. Won first place in headline writing from the 2013 Society for Features Journalism.
Bill Gates, seen here in an older photo from his blog, is reading, taking walks, and playing online bridge as well as actual tennis in his spare time.
Many Americans have had to severely limit their contact with other people during the coronavirus pandemic, and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is no exception. The billionaire told Business Insider that he is cautiously including some pre-virus pastimes once again, and even got a haircut, though both Gates and the barber wore masks.
"I went a long time without a haircut," Gates said in the interview published Thursday. "Eventually I had — I think — one haircut. And I wore a mask, the man who cut my hair wore a mask, and he knew his [COVID-19] status."
Gates says he also had a coronavirus test several months ago after he started worrying about a cough he had, and the test came back negative.
Gates famously loves tennis, and has recently started playing again, though he keeps his distance from his opponents.
"I hope that tennis is still OK. I don't think any risk's been identified," he said. "I mean, we don't go near each other."
Gates says he also plays online bridge, and fellow billionaire and longtime pal Warren Buffett remains his favorite partner. He's a big reader, and often recommends books on his Gates Notes blog. He takes walks in his neighborhood, but always wears a mask. He watches TV -- including A Million Little Things, This Is Us and Ozark -- with his wife, Melinda.
Still, lockdown is bound to be a lot more luxurious for Gates than for most. His suburban Seattle home reportedly sprawls over 66,000 square feet.
