Tesla Inc TSLA CEO Elon Musk called Scott Gallowaya public speaker and marketing professor, an “insufferable fool” for claiming that Musk had lost confidence in Tesla’s valuation.

What happened: Musk made his comments after a Twitter user drew his attention to comments made by Galloway.

Galloway, noting the exchange, responded by saying, “Numbskull… better than pedo.”

Galloway referred to a Tweet from July 2018 in which Musk called a British diver involved in rescuing a Thai soccer team from a cave a “pedo dude”.

The professor made a list of companies and said he doesn’t think, and he doesn’t think, that Musk thinks Tesla is worth more than all of them combined.

See also: How to buy Tesla (TSLA) shares

Why it matters: The Galloway-Musk episode took place after Musk held one Online poll, ask his Twitter followers whether he should sell 10% of his shares in the company.

Galloway referenced Musk’s comments at the Code Conference, where Musk said his tax rate was 53%, according to the speaker.

In a series of tweets, Galloway castigated Musk for handing off his responsibilities to Twitter and suggested he could have borrowed the entire amount at low interest to pay his tax bill.

Galloway also came up heavily Musk for attacking Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.)

The academic urged Musk to abandon attribution and ad hominem attacks in favor of “progress,” saying the two have more in common than meets the eye.

Musk recently changed his Twitter nickname to “Lorde Edge,” which according to Dogecoins DOGE/USD co-creator Bill Markus is an anagram for “Elder Doge”.

Price promotion: On Friday, Tesla shares closed nearly 0.6% lower at $1,222.09 in the regular session.

Continue reading: Elon Musk says he would sell $6 billion in Tesla stock “immediately” to support the UN World Food Program on one condition

Photo: Courtesy of Steve Jurvetson on flickr