London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Oct 07, 2026

'Offensive and embarrassing': Senators struggle to pronounce Google CEO Sundar Pichai's name correctly

'Offensive and embarrassing': Senators struggle to pronounce Google CEO Sundar Pichai's name correctly

Senators questioning Google CEO Sundar Pichai alongside Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter's Jack Dorsey couldn’t pronounce his name correctly.

Sundar Pichai, the Indian American CEO of Google's parent company Alphabet, has testified on Capitol Hill three times.

But senators questioning him Wednesday via videochat alongside Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter's Jack Dorsey couldn’t pronounce his name correctly, including Sen. Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.

Pichai is pronounced "pitch" like in baseball and "chai" like the latte – or "pih-chai" – but lawmakers came up with endless variations, addressing him as "Mr. Pick Eye," "Mr. Pish Eye" and more.

Born in Chennai, India, Pichai was the only executive of color and the only immigrant giving testimony Wednesday. He also runs a trillion-dollar company that is one of the world’s best known and most powerful.

'Who the hell elected you?':Tech CEOs accused of bias against Trump and conservatives days before election

Senator Cruz challenges Jack Dorsey:Cruz scoffs when Dorsey testifies that Twitter can't influence elections

“Please. Pronounce Sundar’s name correctly. This is offensive and embarrassing,” tweeted Lexi Reese, chief operating officer of tech company Gusto, pointing lawmakers to an instructional video on YouTube, which is owned by Google.

Senators had no trouble pronouncing Zuckerberg or Dorsey, though Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., stumbled once and referred to Zuckerberg as "Mr. Zuckerman."

During Wednesday's hearing, Senate Republicans accused leaders of the nation’s top internet companies of politically motivated bias and suppression, and warned them of upcoming challenges to decades-old legal protections that shield them from liability for what users post on their platforms.

“The time has come for that free pass to end,” Wicker said in his opening remarks.

Conservatives have complained for years that social media companies systematically silence the political speech of right-leaning users despite consistent evidence that conservative voices and viewpoints dominate the conversation on these platforms.

Tech leaders deny any partisanship, saying their policies strike a balance between allowing users to freely express themselves and keeping hate, abuse and misinformation off their platforms.




Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Costa Coffee Returns to Operating Profit on Iced Drinks and Menu Changes
Asos Warns Customers After Unauthorized Access to Retail App and Data
Kemi Badenoch Puts Growth and Deregulation at Center of Conservative Conference
Campaigners Warn of Deepening Social Care Crisis for Disabled Adults
Study Finds Rising Early-Onset Cancer Rates Among Adults Under 50 in Britain
UK Coach Operators Warn High Diesel Prices Could Force Route Cuts
FCA Opens Independent Review Into Handling of Epstein-Linked Whistleblower Case
Argentina Vows to Block Falkland Islands Offshore Oil Development
UK Chancellor Prepares Fiscal Measures and Welfare Reforms Ahead of Autumn Budget
Sainsbury’s and Morrisons Explore Potential Multi-Billion-Pound Merger
UK Weighs Tariffs on Chinese Electric Vehicles to Align With European Union
UK Threatens Diplomatic Expulsions Over Planned Closure of East Jerusalem Consulate
UK Energy Price Cap Hits Three-Year High as Middle East Conflict Raises Costs
Seventh Arrest Made in Suspected Terror Plot at RAF Fairford
Systemic Education Collapse Sparks Mass Student Uprisings in France
Green Party Faces Backlash Over Resolution Equating Zionism With Racism
Conservatives Debate Scrapping Environmental Rules for New Homes
Cornwall Insight Warns UK Energy Bills Could Approach £2,000 This Winter
UK Coach Operators Warn of Service Cuts as Diesel Prices Exceed £2
Scottish Parliament Approves £68 Billion Budget With New Tax and Property Measures
FCA Opens Independent Review Into Handling of Epstein Whistleblower
UK Government Drops Plan to Suspend Jury Trials in England and Wales
Bank of England Holds Interest Rate at 3.75% as Markets Watch November
Two Iranian Nationals Charged Over Alleged Plot Targeting Manchester Jewish Community
UK Fiscal Headroom Halves to £11 Billion Ahead of Budget, EY Warns
US Bomber Withdrawal From RAF Fairford Prompts UK Security Review
Sarah Wakfer Appointed Chair of Northern Ireland’s Health and Care Regulator
Scotland Housing Completions Fall to 11-Year Low Amid National Shortage
UK Water Companies Face Tougher Oversight and Unannounced Regulatory Inspections
Middle East Conflict Pushes UK Fuel and Wholesale Energy Prices Higher
Andy Burnham Raises Prospect of Second Brexit Referendum in Review of UK-EU Relations
EY Warns UK Fiscal Headroom Has Halved to £11 Billion Ahead of Autumn Budget
BT Accused of Pressuring Vulnerable Customers During Digital Landline Shift
British Carmakers Warn of Growing Pressure From EU-China Tariff Dispute
Green Party of England and Wales Adopts Motion Defining Zionism as Racism
Medical Charity Threatens NHS Legal Action Over Two-Year Autism and ADHD Assessment Waits
British Transport Police Report Record Rise in Violence on Railways
Glasgow Council Workers Face Pay Cuts Under Fire-and-Rehire Plan
British Medical Groups Press Prime Minister Andy Burnham to Cancel £330 Million Palantir NHS Contract
UK Faces Record Bluetongue Outbreak Across Livestock Farms
UK Schools Report Thousands of Child-on-Child Sexual Offences
High Court Overturns Ban Blocking Gaza Families From Reuniting With Relatives in UK
G7 Authorizes Emergency Fuel Release as UK Diesel Prices Hit £2 a Litre
France and Italy Draw 1-1 in Nations League Match
Pope Leo XIV and Prince Albert II of Monaco Meet in Metz
SNCF Expands Low-Cost Ouigo High-Speed Service Between Lyon and Bordeaux
Paris Expands Dedicated Cargo Bike Routes for Urban Deliveries
French Film Industry Pushes for Tighter Streaming Investment Rules
Marseille Court Hands Down Prison Terms in Public Procurement Corruption Case
LVMH and Kering Rely on US Demand as Chinese Luxury Spending Slows
×