Most business meetings aren't led like a professor guiding students (or, frankly, interns). Steve also doesn't talk like the quote, it would be something more like, "Why the fuck are you wasting my time? What the fuck do you even do here?" He's one of a kind--arrogant as they come but with the talent, smarts and execution that actually back it up.
As an intern I was sitting in on the meetings, mostly just watching. Those weren’t meetings targeted at interns, they were normal, everyday meetings. (I was there mostly to get to see how those things work and to get a bit of context.)
I’m not sure why you are just asserting a different language. I see no evidence for that. The article treats the statement as a quote, as long as we don’t know any better we have to treat it like that.
I was asserting different language because I've never heard of Steve being so kind. Competent professional adults don't collude to not be in the elevator with someone who simply kindly asks someone to move on.
Steve is a genius, but he leaves a huge trail behind for HR/PR to clean up.
A fun anecdote from a friend of mine, who was excited as someone can be to meet Steve for the first time. It was a press meeting at the Macworld conference, years and years ago. Steve asks his handler who my friend was, she replied it was so and so from MacCentral. What followed was something to the effect of, "MacCentral? I fucking hate MacCentral. How did he get in here? Who the fuck invited MacCentral? What have they ever made?" End of meeting followed by profuse apologies from everyone but Steve. Friend was still stoked, reality distortion field and what not.
