The new season of TV Land's PRIME original series "How'd You Get So Rich?" is back and better than ever as the notoriously uncensored Joan Rivers explores the fabulous and fascinating lives of the mega-rich. The 30-minute series premieres on Wednesday, May 5 at 10 p.m. ET/PT featuring Joan's visit with her friend, real estate mogul Donald Trump, who advises on how to make millions, as well as John Paul DeJoria who created Paul Mitchell Hair products and now also owns Patron Tequila. From the amazing stories of four billionaires to the creator of Hawaiian Tropic suntan lotion to cookie queen Mrs. Fields - all of these millionaires made their riches in really interesting ways. Joan asks all the questions no one else would - in the way only Joan can. "How'd You Get So Rich?" is a six-episode series from Mark Burnett Productions and Zoo Productions, Inc. Mark Burnett, Barry Poznick and John Stevens serve as executive producers.
"I want to be the first to say, I'm so happy to have me back hosting for a season that is bigger and better than last year's," says Joan Rivers. "We have billionaires this year that started with nothing. And one millionaire literally washed his clothes in a river! Another, who had a black and white logo on his first product because he couldn't afford color! These stories are so inspiring because, if these people can do it, any of us can. The only thing that can make this show even better is if one of these Richie's turns out to be beyond wealthy, single, with no living relatives...and gets really turned on by a television hostess who uses a walker at home."
"It is truly inspirational to learn how some of these millionaires made their riches," states Larry W. Jones, president, TV Land. "These are folks who are living the American Dream, including one millionaire who was homeless and collecting bottles and cans to buy food and another who pushed a food cart outside the Hilton Hotel in Tel Aviv!"
Among the fascinating stories featured on the show are four people who are on the current Forbes list of richest people in the world; three who didn't even have indoor plumbing and one millionaire who has a 100 acre home - the size of The University of Texas!
The premiere episode on May 5 includes Joan's friend Donald Trump who gives viewers advice on how to get rich, offering his own dos and don'ts. Find out how much cash this billionaire carries with him when Joan asks him to take out his wallet. The episode also introduces viewers to billionaire John Paul DeJoria who was once homeless and collected bottles and cans in exchange for pennies to buy food. John Paul teamed up with his friend, hair dresser Paul Mitchell to create Paul Mitchell Systems which today reports BILLIONS in annual sales. In 1989 he launched Patron Tequila which now sells 2 million cases a year. His advice to those looking to make millions is, "Make a great product and then you're no longer in the selling business, you're in the re-order business."
Other fascinating stories on "How'd You Get So Rich?" this season include:
Allen Simon dropped out of school in the 9th grade, but while working at a pet store in Brooklyn he came up with a million-dollar idea: a new and improved way to housebreak a puppy. His "Four-paws Wee Wee Pads" are a flat, diaper-like pad that is chemically treated to aid in housebreaking dogs. He currently has sales of more than $30 million a year, making them the number one selling doggy pad in the world.
Grant Cardone was a partier who was into drinking and drugs he even got fired from his job working at a local McDonalds! When he turned 25 he remembered his father's dying words, "learn how to sell," so he taught himself to do just that and brought that information to people via public speaking, cds and DVDs. His newest book is titled, "If You're Not First, You're Last!," and this motto that has helped him amass his $100 million fortune.
The sweetest revenge against the guy that dumped you is to become a millionaire. San Francisco's Maria Peevey did just that when her boyfriend of six years broke up with her out of the blue. They say every could has a silver lining and hers sure did, because she got a dog to cheer her up and that pup inspired her to create a line of clothing for dogs. She now manufactures a dozen different specialty lines sold in more than 8,000 retail stores, including Wal-mart! Her business is worth over $45million!
"Can we talk" about millionaires? This season of "How'd You Get So Rich?" takes a closer look at TV Land's very own Joan Rivers, the daughter of immigrant Russian parents. She created her own brand of irreverent, unconventional comedy and fought her way to stardom playing tawdry New York clubs, cabarets and Borscht Belt hotels. She launched her first line of beauty products in 2000 on QVC and later a jewelry line which has since earned a record-breaking $750 million dollars in sales to date
A summer job as a lifeguard inspired school teacher Ron Rice to concoct an aloe-based suntan lotion in a garbage can in his garage. Ron hit the beach selling each bottle himself, and eventually got other lifeguards to sell for him too, crediting this "beach party" sales strategy with his success. His product is now known across the world as Hawaiian Tropic. Rice sold the company for $160 million, allowing him to build a beachfront compound in Daytona Beach consisting of three mansions and four pools just a few feet from where Ron's old lifeguard tower still stands.
A "Ball Girl" for the Oakland A's named Debbi Fields-Rose fetched foul balls for five bucks an hour in order to buy ingredients for her much loved cookies. The housewife (and mother of 5 kids and 5 step-children!) decided to start selling her cookies and Mrs. Fields was born! Debbi opened her first store in Palo Alto, CA and grew the business to nearly 1,000 retail bakeries in 12 countries over the next 10 years. She ended up selling the company for $25 million in the early 90's.
Rivers also meets with other millionaires this season including Joe Pedott, the owner of the Chia Pet and the Clapper! He talks about his surprising success with some of America's wackiest and most iconic brands and credits a local Chicago charity with getting him back on track when he was a down-and-out teenage. He still donates generously to that charity today. Joan then swings by the NYC office of "event planner to the stars" Preston Bailey who grew up in Panama in a house with no hot water and an "outhut" (like an outhouse, but worse!). He came to America with nothing but has gone on to become the go-to guy for the rich and famous - he even designed for Oprah Winfrey's 50th birthday party. Viewers will meet another self-made millionaire mom, the reigning cake diva Sylvia Weinstock who, despite her enormous success still takes public transportation (and uses her senior discount card!)
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