RIM CEO says iPhone has boosted his sales

See this appalling Q&A with Mike Lazaridis where he says there’s nothing to worry about, BlackBerry is kicking butt, business is great, the Bold is not an iPhone ripoff, RIM rules and so on. Money quote: “I think what happened was the amount of marketing and the attention (Apple) generated in the market — the customers are now coming to the store and saying I didn’t know you could do all that with a phone. And when they get there they realize there’s a selection — there’s not just one device. And so what it’s actually done is increased our sales.”

Well, what can I say, Mike Lazaridis, except, “You’re welcome.” Oh, and one more thing — considering you’ve been selling smart phones for so long, and if you’re such a great company, why then did you need me to come into your market and explain it to the world at large? And if that is truly the case, let me just point out that it does not bode well for you guys.