Shark Tank

What a let down this has become. I don't know if deals are real or questionable as some have pointed out.

I do know however that it used to be most about the presentation and offers.

Now like almost everything on tv it has become what I call the " cancer" effect.

That's the label I use to describe how it has become mandatory for shows to outdo every other show by having the drama of the contestants ( sometimes host also) be the big story. They tell their personal sad stories to the folks watching who sit at home saying " so sad, inspiring etc etc.

Yuk. Not saying these are made up but to make it such a critical part of the show is becoming so overdone by everyone I'm finding less shows I can watch.

When will enough be enough? I'm reminded of a comedy sketch on SNL where there is a Japanese game show that if they get the wrong answer they have to have a finger cut off. Chris Farley plays a hilarious tourist from Green Bay who is called down from the audience to play. This sketch is old and there is a crime / horror movie of the same era that takes on this theme of glorifying violence for media.

Reality tv has become like these examples. It's become out of hand.

I love this show. Robert is my favorite. He's such a sweetheart without sacrificing his business-focused mindset, Mark Cuban is the GOAT, and I'd respect Kevin more if he would let other people finish and didn't pride himself on being a jerk. His accomplishments are so impressive but he's so abrasive and rude that I don't care about what he's accomplished because he's not someone I want to know or trust with my business. Just because you're successful doesn't mean you get a pass to be an insufferable butthead.

Keto... There website is designed to trap you, extort money from you, gives you bad phone numbers and bad web addresses so that you cannot cancel your order immediately when you find out that your order did not cost what you expected, and that there contacts within the company cannot, or will not do anything for you. Fraudulent from start to finish.

As an entrepreneur myself, I've dealt with investors and VC's, and I can honestly say that the Sharks are a great representation of real-life. They come across as harsh, money-grubbing, and greedy most of the time. But the kicker is that in the world of investing, you have to be this way and more, or else you get railroaded by the guys willing to go the extra mile. Often times I feel the Sharks do a great job of rooting out the good businesses from the ones that likely will crash and burn. I've observed that they'll usually ask for a majority percentage in the company if the presenter is somebody who hasn't really proved themselves in the wide market. To me this is absolutely fair, because the return is that the presenter has the opportunity to work with a partner who's made millions or billions of dollars, and provides a wealth of knowledge and experience. In short, if you're a start-up or recent start-up, you might not want to go on this show, because you'll likely give up more of your company than you want to. If you have a tried and true product, and need extra cash to expand or market yourself, this is a great opportunity. For viewers with interests in business or who want to learn more about business, I highly recommend Shark Tank. It's educational, smart, creative, and ultimately worthy of your time.

"Sharks" is an interesting concept. It's a "reality TV show" and the reality is that budding entrepreneurs come before a collection of 5 experienced entrepreneurs and make a pitch, hoping to attract dollars and guidance from one or more of the so-called sharks. The sharks change from time to time, but the main ones are Robert Herjavec, Daymond John, and Kevin O'Leary. Barbara Corcoran alternates with Lori Greiner as the token woman. Kevin Harrington was an early contributor but lately Mark Cuban has been the 5th member.

• Herjavec (1963) is from Canada and made his money in internet security. - John (1969) is from NYC and made his money through FUBU clothing line. - O'Leary (1954) is a Canadian and made his money inventing SoftKey and later The Learning Company. he usually plays "the bad guy" - Corcoran (1949) is from New Jersey and made her money in the NYC real estate market - Greiner is called "The Queen of QVC" where she created more than 400 products. She is often the "sweet one" - Cuban (1958) is from Pittsburg and owns the NBA Dallas Mavericks and Landmark Pictures. - Harrington (1957) is famous for creating the first "infomercial"

Each episode, guests pitch their products and generally speaking, they are critiqued by the sharks often in a hostile and demeaning manner. That's part of the "show biz" flare, but many people will find it objectionable.

As a learning vehicle, the show offers some good examples of how to (and how not to) present their ideas. It's well worth viewing for anyone interested in business and anyone who thinks that at some time they may have to pitch their own ideas.