Joan Rivers Explores the Lifestyles of the Fabulously Rich... and Lucky When 'How'd You Get so Rich?' Premieres on TV Land on Wednesday, August 5 at 10 P.M. ET/PT

Jul 29, 2009
By ViacomCBS Staff

Discover The Rags-To-MegaRiches Stories Of Millionaires From The Inventor Of The BillyBob Teeth To The Slanket To The Man Who "Owns" Mardi Gras

How do some folks go from mowing lawns to living in lavish mansions? Or from scrubbing toilets to collecting Bentleys? The economy may be in the tank but, like it or not, there are still millionaires out there - and these men (and women!) didn't all get rich by stealing your money! For years the notoriously uncensored Joan Rivers asked her signature questions "Can we talk?" and "Who are you wearing? Now Rivers is coming to TV Land to ask her next question -- "How'd You Get So Rich?" The 30-minute series of the same name premieres on TV Land on Wednesday, August 5, 2009 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Accompany Joan as she adds "fortune explorer" to her resume with this new original series, airing in TV Land PRIME. Viewers will be shocked as they discover how these great fortunes were made and the zany ways they are being spent.

"There is no one more outrageous and hilarious than Joan Rivers to introduce America to multimillionaires who prove that there is no such thing as small ideas!," states Larry W. Jones, president, TV Land. "'How'd You Get So Rich?' is the perfect escapist fantasy and in these tough times -- an inspiration. The guy who made the 5 chamber bubble wand is worth $50 million. Why didn't I think of that!"

Rivers takes viewers on a journey to meet the millionaires who worked hard and struck gold as she tours the most lavish and extravagant homes and introduces them to folks who made a lot of money in really interesting ways - the way only Joan can. From the inventor of the BillyBob Teeth, who grew up dirt poor, to the pioneer of the Infomercial who peddles goodies like Obama coins and "Mr. Mardi Gras" who still lives in the same house as he did when he came into his riches, to a Telecommunications tycoon who built an empire by starting out going door to door selling cordless phones - all of these millionaires made their money in the most unexpected and interesting ways.

"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.

Below is the episode rollout for "How'd You Get So Rich?"

Wednesday, August 5, 10 p.m. ET/PT - 102

A jaw-dropping mansion with six kitchens. An ultramodern palace in the hills. The largest house in the state of Illinois. Would you believe that each of these homes belongs to one guy who used to scrub toilets, one who folded sweaters in the mall and another who grew up without running water? Follow Joan as she meets shipping tycoon Robert Zarco, Monarchy Jeans creator Eric Kim and "BillyBob Teeth" inventor Jonah White.

Wednesday, August 12, 10 p.m. ET/PT - 103

In this episode, meet Blaine Kern, the man who "owns" Mardi Gras. He started off penniless and built an empire around parade floats and plastic beads. Viewers are in for a shock when they see his home and meet his 30-year old girlfriend Holly. Then, go with Joan on a tour of the former Versace Mansion - owned by a college dropout named Peter Loftin - and find out how he made it. Joan hits Rodeo Drive where she meets the mega-millionaire behind Too-Faced-Cosmetics who used to be a department store counter boy, a comic book king and others who have made a lot of money and are spending it in crazy ways.

Wednesday, August 19, 10 p.m. ET/PT - 104

It slices. It dices. It makes billions of dollars! It's the amazing infomercial and Joan meets Kevin Harrington, the man who invented it. He started with the Ginsu Knife and ended up with an eye-popping fortune. She'll also meet Bobbie Weiner, a middle-aged woman whose rich doctor husband left her. She went to beauty school and turned her makeup expertise into millions by selling camouflage makeup to the military.

Wednesday, August 26, 10 p.m. ET/PT - 101

Joan meets Jon Hoffman, inventor of the five-chamber bubble blower who is so rich, his dog has a walk-in closet and a private chef! If viewers think his pet lives well, they won't believe the stuff he buys himself. Then, millionaire Ronnie LaMarque had nothing growing up. Now he has a mansion with its own elevator and his wife has a diamond ring you could skate on. But what's even more valuable? The lesson you'll learn when Joan asks them, "How'd you get so rich?"

Wednesday, September 2, 10 p.m. ET/PT - 106

Meet James Goldstein, a fashion junkie who spends over $1 million on clothes - a year! And even more spectacular than his wardrobe? A house that is dangerously designed! Then, Joan meets Bobby Boudreaux, a man with money up the wazoo - from an invention called Butt Paste. And our youngest millionaire, Gary Clegg, snuggles up with Joan - and the millions he made from putting arms on a blanket and calling it The Slanket.

Wednesday, September 2, 10 p.m. ET/PT - 105

Joan visits the 55,000-square-foot lavish mansion of Croatian immigrant Robert Herjavec, who grew up with dirt floors and no running water. Now he has his own ballroom to dance in and does laps in his indoor pool! She'll also introduce viewers to Timothy Corrigan, an ad exec who switched careers at age 40 to become an interior decorator. Now he's decorating his own castle -- with seven-figure antiques and art!

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