Kevin O’Leary, known to many as Mr. Wonderful on Shark Tank, hosts Money Court, which debuts on CNBC Aug. 11. The show sees O’Leary play the judge on financial disputes between business partners, married couples, siblings and other litigants.
O’Leary spoke at length about the new show on the B+C/Multichannel News podcast Series Business. He said business disputes have increased during the COVID era, with businesses transforming amidst the turmoil, and partners often unable to meet face to face. “The pandemic has created a logjam of cases that are not getting to court,” he said. “So arbitration is the only solution.”
Trial attorney Katie Phang and former judge Ada Pozo help O’Leary come to his verdict.
Money Court is produced by Anvil 1893 Entertainment, with O’Leary, Eric Schotz and Myeshia Muzuno executive producing along with Luke Bauer of CNBC.
A new season of Shark Tank starts on ABC Friday, Oct. 8. O’Leary said to expect a lot of direct-to-consumer goods with sturdy digital platforms. “I don’t think I’m gonna see a lot of people saying, ‘I can’t wait to get my product into retail,’” said O’Leary just before shooting on season 13 began. “Because that’s not where the growth is.”
He said the Mr. Wonderful nickname came from Shark Tank colleague Barbara Corcoran, who was “being facetious and critical about my style of investing.”
O’Leary said he and Corcoran are pals, and he respects her as an entrepreneur. In terms of shooting the new season in Los Angeles, he quipped, “The only reason she got here on time this year is, I bought her a new broom.”
O’Leary promised “strong, strong, strong people that know how to tell stories about their products and services” on Shark Tank this season.
