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Kevin O’Leary says 3.5 billion people living in poverty is ‘fantastic news’

on January 20, 2014

Oxfam reported Wednesday that the 85 richest people on the planet have as much wealth as the poorest 3.5 billion people, half the world’s population — a sobering and troubling fact to anyone with even a shred of a soul. Luckily, Kevin O’Leary doesn’t have to worry about that.

The CBC News Network host and business commentator was confronted with this statistic on Monday’s Lang & O’Leary Exchange, and his reaction was one of jubilation.

“It’s fantastic,” O’Leary told his co-host Amanda Lang.

According to this clown, half the planet living in abject poverty while a few dozen people live in obscene opulence is something to celebrate. After all, it “inspires everybody, gets them motivation to look up to the one per cent and say, ‘I want to become one of those people, I want to fight to the get up to the top.’”

Ah yes, if only those kids growing up in slums around the world could look up and catch a glimpse of Bill Gates’ private jet, they’d have something to strive for!

We already know that Kevin O’Leary can’t read, but can this poor man also not… feel?

It’s hard to say where the O’Leary character ends and where the real human being (?) begins, but what value he possibly provides to the CBC is entirely unclear. Either nobody watches the Lang & O’Leary Exchange to catch this routine stupidity or management is purposely destroying the CBC.

UPDATE: O’Leary has responded to the backlash against his comments, tweeting Jan. 22 that he was misunderstood and will clear things up on Tuesday’s Lang & O’Leary Exchange. He doesn’t hate poor people, he’s just against “forced taxation” — you know, as opposed to those voluntary taxes.

#VeryImportantDebate

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  • tprince

    Holy fucking shit!

    • Riddley Walker

      No fucking shit.

      • Mike~a~Boss

        Derp fucking shit!

    • hiYUN

      Yup, this is really the left-wing shit hole, full of lazy socialists who enjoy complaining about rich people.

      Why don’t y’all get a job and get off the pot?

  • phil

    Before you criticize Kevin, he has provided a lot of value to consumers through his products and services. That’s why he’s rich. He didn’t steal it, people willingly gave it to him. Secondly, he has certainly contributed a lot to charity. I agree he could have phrased it differently, but don’t be so quick to bash.

    • Daryl

      No, I don’t think he has. A few substandard software products doesn’t cut it, and neither his so-called fund management. He’s an asshole. That’s the brand he’s building, and that’s all he cares about.

      • Matt

        Yeah dude he’s an asshole, he work hard when most of population stay watching idiot box for 8 hours per day….

        • iodine333

          Guess who makes that idiot box for all these people? The same rich fucks who don’t want the general public to compete with them so they give them $8/h jobs. Wake up man!

          • porsche4sale

            you have a brain …use it work harder instead complaining lol

          • porsche4sale

            really how bout that crap ps4 and xbox…so many idiots play that hours a day …cause they tooo lazy to use their brain …
            while kevin is getting richer ….
            i bought ps4 …still lucky if i play game on it 4 hrs per mth…cause i focus my brain on business…and its paying off

          • h

            It’s paying off so well you’re selling your porsche?

          • porsche4sale

            here is the thing …i got offered great money for my porsche ..going make $8000.00 on this deal …easy money
            so i decided to open a side business buy sell porsches and porsche rims tires ..and already saw couple nice ones putting an offer on another porsche 911…so screw my friends they can complain watch tv lol
            i am doing the kevin o’leary thing make moneyyy

        • porsche4sale

          totally agrree he who sacrifices and works hard will have more

          • Jon

            I think that your globalizing statement lacks true intellectual investigation. Plenty of people work EXTREMELY hard and are still barely eking out a living. Try viewing the world from some eyes other than your own or are you too self possessed to attempt that?

          • porsche4sale

            ur suppose to work smarter not harder …do alot of research study making money …thats what they should taught us in school .

          • Stephanie

            The definitely did not teach grammar and spelling, that is something we can all agree on, isn’t that right porshe4sale?

            You’ll need to review those sections in grade 1-8 curriculum if you want to start your Porshe business.

    • np

      he is from a middle class family, I am assuming. This would have been impossible if he belonged to the social class that this is being compared to (the lowest socioeconomic class in the world). There is absolutely no comparison, at all. For such a rich and “intelligent” man, he sure needs to buy himself a reality check and a clue.

      • steve fobsuer sr

        It’s unfortunate people like are so busy accumulating wealth in the world and claim there is no poor people in this world although they piratically trip over them by their steps to work everyday. Examples were int he bible between the rich man and the beggar. he was so busy being absorb by his riches and failed to see the need of others

      • NobodyCares

        I came from a middle class.. Going straight to a no class. For over 20 years payed taxes and saved money. Now I barely can pay my phone bill since I lost my good job two years ago, This is where most of us will end sooner or later.

        • Jeff

          You don’t make money by saving money… Kevin is an incredible business man and we could all learn a thing or two from him.

          • Phil

            Do you actually believe that? Let me tell you something Jeff. If you were to save ten percent of your annual earnings at the beginning of adulthood, with a decent investment return you’ll be a millionaire by the time your 40. It really makes me sad to see some people honestly think you don’t make money by saving it.

          • bob

            That is a ridiculous statement…if you are saving money you aren’t making it…The term making money is an active verb while saving is passive.

          • Jordan

            Venture Capital Investing (or as you refer to it - “saving”) is not “Passive”. VC’s are extremely active in their investments. They often help manage, strategize and also put forth capital funding.

          • Mark

            There’s no such thing as an active or passive verb. Both ‘saving money’ and ‘making money’ are gerund phrases. I think you are actually talking about the semantic nature of these things; don’t confuse this with their grammatical nature.

          • Jordan

            Pretty sure he was talking about investing vs. a savings account. Kevin invested is small start ups and it has paid off. Good on him.

          • Anonymous

            Kevin didn’t make his money investing in small start ups… and look at the stats of those that he did invest in…
            He made his money in a pretty sleazy business practice, basically destroying an industry, then selling it off for more than it was worth.

          • CanuckDriss

            Assuming you start at 20 at a decent $40k and end up making $100k at 40. Saving 10% of your income at a generous accrued 10-15 % would not make you a millionaire at 40, unless you are banker or listen to your banker without working your numbers!

          • not an idiot

            if you believe this you belong in the 99%. idiots

          • Jordan

            Agreed! The guy was incredible. He saw an opportunity and he Capitalized on it. We should be proud of his accomplishments.

          • Robert Reed

            ya id capitalise on smashing your face in with my hand to say hello if we ever met cause it would be an opportunity id be a fool to pass up cause your such a moron lol

          • Arrnorthwest

            So we should all be business people and invest? What if you have nothing to invest with?

          • Jordan

            No, you should go out and earn money. Get a job :)

          • Robert Reed

            say that shit to people your a moron ….

          • Joshua

            Robert Reed, why not post something relative and stop acting like a child. He made his money fair and square, just like I will. You are one of those people who sits in front of the computer whining about the state of our world today, yet do absolutely nothing about it. Grow up

          • Joshua

            I have also read your other comments. You’re gonna smash someone face in for disagreeing with you on a forum? You are the worst excuse for a man if I have ever came across one. Its funny how often I’ve heard that over the internet but never in person.

          • nottheendoftheworld

            I think you need to investigate a little about Kevin’s ‘amazing’ business skills. One-time lucky investment, turned to broadcasting immediately. He is the epitome of lucky, and takes it for granted.

          • swen

            In Canada no, in other countries yes.People build wealth in last 30-40 years, when there was place for growth.The moment your country’s economy grow lets say less than 2% than place for growth is non extent(again if you have money to invest you will still make money). And that is why Capitalism moved to countries where you can pay someone 1$ per hour, in a countries where now-days economy grows by 7-12% per year like India, China, South America.So all this self made billionaires they did it when there was a right time to do it and today all manufacturing is moving away from here.This country does not allow street level economy and that will help to bring ordinary people into better position.Because not everyone can switch from working on assembly line to become rocket scientist.Learning form rich you can learn how they did it in their time and circumstances, that is not formula for anyone else…

          • bubbahotepp

            We have learned something — that he is a douchebag.

          • porsche4sale

            totally agree watching him made me realize have a brain use it ..instead wasting

        • Jordan

          Well stop sulking and get a new job. If no one will hire you, than go back to school and educate yourself. Stop blaming the others for your misfortunes. If you lost your job, there was a good reason for it, and an even better reason why you are STILL unemployed. Please, do society a favour and jump back into the labour force! Get a new skill and come back better than ever. We as a country need you!

          • shark

            Jordan…your “bootstraps method” view of the world is so gotdamn obsolete, it’s a surprise you’re not in a fucking museum you decrepit dinosaur shit.

          • Jordan

            Why so personal?

            But yeah, not obsolete. 100% true.
            If you lose your job it is either because you are 1. not good enough or, 2. Because its a job no longer needed. So, either get better, or get a new job.. If you can’t get a job with your existing skill set, get a new skill set!

            This is the beauty of Capitalism, it is driven by Supply and Demand. If your Job is in high demand, you will supply it. If your job is making VHS machines, you will soon be out of a Job, as this technology is in very low Demand. This is the invisible hand in action and it is a symphony. It is beautiful. Although it has some flaws, there is not a single system that has proven more effective. If you want a socialist system, there goes your motivation and innovation.

          • Lawrence

            Even if you managed to keep a minimum wage minimum wage job for the rest of your life it’s not enough to raise a family, and barely enough to live on your own. ON TOP OF THAT; Do you not realize the world is going the way of unskilled labour is going the way of the dinosaur? Not everyone can be engineers; I can but I came from a wealthy family. Poor kids often don’t get a good education; not because poor people are intrinsically stupid but because that’s how society works. You don’t see kids from the bronx going to Yale. Are people raised poor not allowed to have a good life just because their parents made the mistake of bringing them into a world they couldn’t afford?

          • dennis

            so what u saying is….hey all of you poor bastards stop having kids cuz u live in Bronx??? get a cold shower pls

          • coast

            Kevin O’leary, is that you?

          • Jordan

            Haha appreciate the compliment. But, unfortunately no, this is not Kevin O’Leary. Sorry haha

          • Pierre Montsion

            Jordan, Im sorry but your a very bizarre person, and your assessment of how things are needs a total overhaul. Its no attack on you, just an observation of your views in comments. I certainly hope life doesnt turn around and smack you one…Im sure you’ll go back to your statements as a motivation

          • Jordan

            Appreciate the comment. But that is the beauty of free speech - we can agree to disagree.

            I totally understand my life can get turned around and “smack” the shit out of me. If the world does not need CFA’s anymore than I will be out of a Job, and i am totally ok with that. This is the beauty of capitalism. If my job is no longer in demand, than either 1. It is no longer needed, or, 2. A new technology has been created to do my job more efficiently. The person (or corporation) that created this technology, should be rewarded with either; money, power and/or respect.

            If this does happen, i will have to train myself with a new skill. A skill that is in high demand and can help me increase the quality of life for myself and my family. Again, this is the beauty of capitalism - it is a system based solely on Supply and Demand. It is what makes the markets and society chug along and grow.

          • Jeremy

            Jordan, there is a flaw in the theory you are presenting long term. What happens when all the ‘jobs’ are no longer available because technology has made them obsolete? The corporations who invented the technology and the executives who work for them get all the money because there are no longer any jobs available for the 99% to work at to earn a living. Why should it be a necessity of life to spend half of our waking hours ‘working’ when technology could do everything we need to have done? Distribute the wealth, continue developing the technology and make required ‘work’ less and less necessary so we can all enjoy our lives more fully instead of scraping out a bit of joy every weekend and, if we’re lucky, when we’re old and physically less capable of enjoying all that life has to offer. This is an idealist vision that is completely plausible, but not with capitalism.

          • ThinkThank

            Jordan, do you not see the fundamental error in the fact that 85 people in a global population of over 8,000,000,000 have as much money combined as 3.5 billion other people.
            I applaud any man who goes out to be successful in life but why do these 85 need so much money for? They have so much money that after buying the biggest house, a few cars, planes and feeding their entire immediate family for eternity that they would not possibly be able to spend their money on themselves.
            And instead of redistributing the wealth back among the very people who helped them build their empire (employees, colleges, schools etc…) because they certainly didn’t do all the work themselves, they would prefer to keep their wealth in offshore accounts to never be spent.

          • Kit

            What should happen, is these people who make it big and have all this money… should help their peers become successful. Pour money into better education, safer communities and job opportunities for those who are struggling. That’s how to help them become successful.
            You can’t expect someone who has absolutely -nothing- to be able to make it to the top as easily as someone middle class did. Besides that, back in the 50s-70s, jobs were booming and people were actually making more money than when compared to the cost of living these days. There was plenty of opportunity when men like this got their jobs and ideas. Unfortunately a lot has changed, and it needs to be seen.

          • Jordan

            Yes, i agree - this is what SHOULD happen. However, this should be on the individual to decide. Socialism would FORCE these people to redistribute their wealth, and I think this would be horrible and inadvertently lead to the crumbling of an economy. Grave words, I know, but it has been proven time and time again.

            I totally agree with your comment on it being difficult to “make it to the top” with very little means. But at least with capitalism, it is possible. And, many people work their way up from the bottom to become successful - there are numerous stories to refer to. Yes, it is much more difficult, but at least it is possible!!

            It is very easy to compare to life back in the 50′s - 70′s. But, it is important to know, the ONLY way to achieve REAL growth is through the creation of new technology. You can throw as much labour, and capital at an existing technology, but production will plateau. Over the last 100 years, we have seem a dramatic increase in technology, and this has helped the countries which have created this technology to prosper.

          • FuckYouJordan

            The point is.. No one needs that much money. It’s ridiculous. Buying stupid things is what is wrong with this planet. Who the FUCK needs 5 cars for example? Where’s the perspective of people like that?

          • cynthia

            So a change in life for a better career takes only going back to school right?? bullshit, (FROM EXPERIENCE) do you know how many graduates in this country are working at home depot or walmart???? or not finding anything after graduation??? programs are disappearing, people are losing their jobs everywhere. entire careers are disappearing in our country. THERE are limited jobs for graduates. OUR TEACHERS have to leave the country to find jobs. !!!!

          • machu46

            Not sure the part about teachers is true. In my experience, my friends that recently graduated to be teachers received multiple job offers within a couple months, while a ton of my other friends are still trying to find jobs a year later.

          • Pierre Montsion

            this is pretty recent..

            http://oncampus.macleans.ca/education/2013/04/04/on-realizing-i-may-need-to-leave-canada-for-work/

          • Jordan

            I am sorry for your experience with the job market. Truly, i hate seeing people lose their livelihood. However, this is part of the progress. If people are going to school to (for example) build VCR machines, they can’t expect to get a job upon graduation. I know people who have graduated University with a Bachelor of Arts, or general studies and are flabergasted when they can’t find a job. Capitalism helps dictate the job market, and in turn dictate our secondary education options. When you say entire Careers are disappearing, I say GOOD, because they are no longer needed, or they can be completed cheaper elsewhere. Sooo, what do me do? We educate ourselves in skills that CAN’T be shipped out. High Quality, High Tech irreplaceable jobs. Again, if teachers are not in Demand in your area, then DON’T become a teacher! Simple Supply and Demand argument.

          • http://behance.net/zinkwork Paul Zink

            Yes, I’m sure a starving Somalian will aspire to becoming another Sergei Brin after reading those statistics. Maybe he or she could “go back to school”? Idiot.

          • Jordan

            Again, why with the personal attack?????

            Countries with such poor quality of life will take time to improve. It takes time for countries to grow a middle class and grow their economy. When countries open themselves up to the free market (AKA Capitalism), it is amazing what can be accomplished. Free speech, property rights, and a conducive business environment will be the only way any of these war torn, dictatorship ruled, impovershed countries will attain any sort of increased quality of life.

            No one can predict the future, however we can only study the past. The past has proven my position.

          • http://behance.net/zinkwork Paul Zink

            First of all, the sarcastic reply is to your statement—which, since you “personally” wrote it, opens you to “personal” rebuttal. If you were on a debating team, would you call your opponent’s rebuttal a “personal attack”? Perhaps you’re confusing “personal” with “ad hominem”.

            Second, you’re incorrectly conflating the outcomes of free-market economies with those of political systems (e.g. implying that free market economy leads to “free speech” and “property rights”— political constructs, not economic ones).

            Third, the current economic status of various nations have most certainly not proven your position. By any number of economic and lifestyle yardsticks, western Europe and Scandinavia are better off than the USA, while China—a free market only in a general sense of the word, given the rigid state control—has an economic growth rate that exceeds that of the USA.

          • Robert Reed

            your a real tool Jordan

          • Jordan

            Maybe so. But I really hope my friends don’t think that! This would be horrible!

      • Anonymous

        He wasn’t from a middle class family. He grew up in Mount Royal… the oldest money in Canada, and among the wealthiest families in Canada.
        It’s the part of his rags to riches story he leaves out, but it is in his bio.

    • Print Hack

      O’Leary is a supersalesman, with questionable ethics.

      In 2000, Mattel handed over its multibillion-dollar acquisition to another firm for $27.3 million and a share of its future profits. Mattel’s purchase of O’Leary’s TLC was eventually labelled by Businessweek as one of “the Worst Deals of All Time.” Shareholders launched a class-action lawsuit, naming O’Leary as a defendant, accusing him of insider trading and of being part of a scheme to obscure TLC’s financial state. In court documents, O’Leary denied the allegations.

      In 2003, Mattel settled the lawsuit for $122 million—considered a “mega-settlement” by Cornerstone Research, a litigation consulting firm. O’Leary has sometimes been called a billionaire due to the size of the original deal. That overstates things: O’Leary in fact netted $11.2 million between his severance package and sale of his Mattel stock. The real money in the transaction was made by Bain and its partners.

      http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-magazine/kevin-oleary-hes-not-a-billionaire-he-just-plays-one-on-tv/article4564334/?page=all

      • Pierre Montsion

        Statistics and facts..cant argue that..lol

    • steve fobustersr

      your joking right or pretending ignorance

      • That Guy

        you’re* joking…

        • swen

          That Guy, you obviously have master degree in English language? And you are going around internet like Don Quixote against all TYPO mistakes that people make? Read some books buddy…

          • That Guy 2

            a master’s degree*
            Additionally, neither of those sentences are worded as questions.

          • swen

            You understand me first time…that is enough for me.

          • swen

            Good for you, good for you…you are such a special person to your mom.

    • magnusmax

      could have phrased it differently? how do you phrase “85 people owning the same as 3.5 billion is FANTASTIC news!” differently without people rightly judging you as a heartless a**hole? If someone says, “the holocause was a good thing”, do we jump to their defense because maybe they had a point…but didn’t express it eloquently enough? This isn’t about word choice, its about clearly articulated, morally repugnant beliefs, and I guarantee you if you gave him the chance, he would choose the exact same words again

      • Laurie Lamarche

        He is a heartless a**hole indeed. And you are right on magnusmax, when you say that, given the opportunity he would happily say it again. I used to watch his show. I stopped because of just this attitude in him. He is very proud of who he is and his belief system.

    • Lea McNalley

      Your right he could have phrased it differently - Had he been given time, I’m sure he could have come up with some BS comment to hide what he was really thinking. Sucks when your true colours just sneak out like that on t.v. eh!

    • ruthmcveigh

      He constantly expresses his admiration for greed (the engine of success) and CASH - the only thing worth having and he makes my stomach turn. I watch the program only when he’s missing. Lang is the attraction because she is a human being.

    • Independant Artist

      This isn’t something to celebrate. Billions of people work very very hard. He’s saying rich people provide motivation? As a lower class citizen (not angry, quite happy) it only leads to defeat. I don’t feel like I will ever own a home, but I provide all sort of priceless value to the theatre patrons who chip in a loonie or a toonie (or a couple of pennies) to see quality childrens’ theatre that I write, direct, produce, and perform everyday all summer long. Then I ride horses every morning so I can make enough money to do it all over. 18 hour days. I don’t yearn to be a billionaire. Good for him for providing value to consumers, but extreme wealth contrasted with extreme poverty is not a beautiful thing. It’s a real heartache. Charity isn’t the magical elixer either. We don’t want charity, we want more value for our time!

    • SubtleMockery

      No he hasn’t, he’s an investment banker. He specifically looks for the quickest, highest return on the least risky investments, with the most benefit for him and the least return for the applicants. His job is to turn money into more money.

      • Jordan

        haha how is he an investment banker? Im pretty sure he doesn’t work at Goldman or JP. He is a venture capitalist and it is actually an extremely important role in business. These businesses lose 9 out of every 10 deals they make, so of course they are trying to make the most amount of money possible. More money for VC firms, means they can invest in more companies, which in turn creates more jobs, and creates more wealth for all.

    • J

      His means to wealth and what he does with it does not excuse his immorality.

    • Duncan Bray

      no ones being ‘quick’ … to your ‘pal’ ‘Kevin’ … dickwad

    • Cecilia

      The World can do without people like him, seriously. There’s no need for his lot!!!!!!

    • Jim

      So he’s a con man. AND an ass. Great, I like him already.

      • GG

        I see..So you like assholes hein?you probably are one!

    • cynthia

      wow, have you never heard of CON MEN???? they get people to willingly give their to money also!!! what does that prove???? Charity??? The only reason a man like this, with such a low societal consciousness, gives to charity is for the tax right off!!!!! , before you try to discredit a writer who has done his research, you should know a few facts!!!

    • Steven

      Hold up…You know donating money to charity doesn’t mean you’ve helped the world. Not all the money in the world is going to save anyone.
      You see the big numbers that represent the 3.5 B people whom are poor comes from the 3rd world countries. America is already “rich” in the economy, as they say, for people to get motivated and work. Now if you take your mind outside the box and go to the 3rd world countries…what is the one thing they lack? PROPER EDUCATION.-They are poor because they do only what they know, which is little (unproductive workers due to poor skills and education). So how could they be able to make money flow into the economy. And on a plus side, the gov’t within the countries are stealing from the people and putting into their own pockets, not even letting money flow into the economy; they are already experiencing hyperinflation. So tell me how can the poor be motivated to become rich. It’s even unfair for the poor to look up to the rich and see them as role models, because believe or not, the majority of the rich made their riches due to some inheritance money, one way or another, that they obtain from their family.
      If more money needs to be donated, then donate it to find a way to provide direct proper education to the poor, which will never happen because you have to get through their gov’t and get cooperation (not likely going to happen anytime soon)

    • Anonymous

      Kevin O’Leary by his own words (I say him in person) basically did swindle his way into his Billions. He created a children’s educational computer… then fired all the staff so the company looked like it was doing better than it was to investors… so with the extra money investors gave him he bought up competitors and did the same thing, until he had done it to the whole market. Then he knowingly sold the over-inflated shell of a company to Mattel for billions. (which is about as close to stealing as one can get without being put behind bars).
      His products have very little value… he spoke at the conference I was at that the value of the product is meaningless… it’s how well you can market it to people willing to buy it that matters.
      I don’t know what his charitable contributions are, nor will I claim to. However there are tax deductions for charitable contributions, and he’s in the top tax bracket… I would question the spirit of his giving.

      • BrittanyinNYC

        This is literally the only valuable response to Phil’s post on this whole thread. Don’t hate O’Leary by virtue of the fact that he’s a billionaire, hate him because he has unscrupulous business practices and swindled investors out of a lot of money. But I wouldn’t get too worked up about his outrageous statements, and I would expect more to come. He’s trying to capitalize on being a TV personality now, a Simon Cowell of the business world, if you will.

        As for the “spirit of his giving”, I agree, but does it really matter? If I’m paying $500 for a ticket for a charity gala just because I want to be seen there, is my $500 worth less to the charity than that of someone who went because they really care deeply about the cause?

    • swen

      Um Canadian tax system, is created so again 99% poor and middle class citizens finance that 1% of rich assholes.Imagine you do give to charity to lower your tax bracket.Than Government gives MONEY BACK, it gives BACK MONEY collected form taxes of those 99%. So they(rich) do not donate anything they give YOUR money.So those stories how they donate money to poor, is Sh@#T.

    • Robert Reed

      his? or the ones he “bought” off others in a compromising position? its like stealing candy from a baby with a smile the kid loves your smile but then they realize you stole there candy and then you feel good about it? now the child is motivated to cry and you think its a good thing? wow fucking moron

    • Kyle

      Phil, that’s not true at all. O’Leary got rich by swindling investors. He screwed Mattel in what was and still is one of the worst corporate acquisitions of all time. He’s a white collar criminal and a simpleton who only knows about money markets.

    • Teffie123

      I have watched this guy on the Lang O’Leary exchange, I’ve heard him speak in person, I’ve even got a copy of his book that I skimmed before discarding it in disgust. He’s just awful. The “charity” contributions are smoke screens to hide what’s really going on - soulless materialism of the same ilk as the thieves on Wall St. responsible for the world financial crisis.

    • Robert

      I wouldn’t doubt for a second that he treats his employees well nor that he has made some reasonable donations to charity. And I guarantee he worked hard and earned the vast majority of his success. on that end, good for him. His business acumen and effort are worth applauding.

      But honestly, if he really thinks those people in poverty is fantastic, because it gives them something to look up to, then that is a very warped and delusional sense of the world.

      Just cause you are good at something, doesn’t mean you are a good person. Sad, but true.

    • porsche4sale

      i totally agree…cause i am building my businesses rapidly ..liitle each week ..soon as i trade in my honda for a porsche 911 widebody awd i get critisize dont forget where u came from …humble urself i say really ?

  • http://www.facebook.com/kate.dyson kate dyson

    I refuse to watch him…though I did see his interview with Chris Hedges during occupy …. and was so disgusted I contacted the CBC to terminate him…he serves no useful purpose on the public network…other than to demonstrate the his extreme ignorance and arrogance…

    • n10ae

      I wonder what he thinks about white privledge

      • ParliamentHillCat1

        He loves it! Anything that gives him more power is a wonderful thing to him.

    • EmpowerAndChange.org

      Hoping you would be willing to join and share this page. Just started it. Trying to assemble a list of which products he owns for a nationwide to boycott. https://www.facebook.com/pages…

    • Jordan

      Oh god, you are one of “those people” that gets OMG so furious that you have to complain to the TV station. If you don’t like him, don’t watch him. Grow up.

    • machoMan

      In some ways it is good to have him there because it reminds you that people like him do in fact exist. Better to acknowledge the problem than deny it exists. It gives an example of the type of person in the top 1%, and it makes it hard to feel any sympathy. This is good because most mega rich people are not like Bill Gates or JK Rowling giving away hundreds of millions upon billions to charity.(Rowling recently lost her billionaire status because she has given so much of her wealth away, and Gates is trying to donate most of his wealth before he dies)

      • DoResearchPLEASE

        Money is the fuel for slave labour. There’s a bigger picture and its ugly. Search the bilderberg group and let your mind expand.

  • Christopher Youngren

    The fact that he is successful in one dimension of life (funny how luck or circumstances never have anything to do with it), does not mean he is intelligent in any other; nor does it give him the right to by implication dump on hundreds of millions of souls less fortunate than himself. And can there be any stronger motivation than the need feed and clothe yourself and your family? Although he already seems separated from reality, he seems primed for a particularly pithy episode of The Twilight Zone…

  • Randy 1111

    Wow . Where do I start ? Kevin o’leary is so out of touch with reality and just doesnt get it.I know he has done very well in the investment worl but I am sure he is an educated man who had some good luck on the way. even Warren Buffet has said that there was luck in play to have his success. The statistic mentioned in the piece is a very sad one one, but for him to use it as a motivation for people to try harder to be a part of the rich class is nuts. He shows zero compassion for people not as lucky as he is. Not to be born in a part of the world where things come easy and services are not available, People who do not know when there next meal will be. I am sure these people are all thinking of how they can be rich in these hard times. I am sure he throws a token amount of money at some charities and makes appearances at fundraisers but I am sure he would rarely go and get his hands dirty and talk to people in places where wealth is virtually is impossible or he would never make such a cold and callous comment. He made himself look like a very ignorant man in this bit.

    • Jordan

      Why is it so bad to celebrate capitalism? Kevin is 100% correct in his view on motivation. Capitalism creates motivation to build a new company or to make an innovative product that can help cure cancer. The only vehicle that will allow these African kids living on a dollar a day to break away from this is through capitalism. Yes there are faults in every system, but i would choose capitalism over socialism any day.

      • JayBEE

        Bullshit. It’s capitalism that causes millions of people to starve to death every year. It’s capitalism that causes millions to die of curable diseases every year. And it’s fucking capitalism that destroys humanity’s prospects for innovation, progress and above all sustainibility. Want me to prove those points to you? No problem, as long as you do your cursory research on anarchism so we’re on the same page as far as terminology is concerned. A dollar a day, by the way, is very optimistic. It’s more around the 45 cents a day. Oooh, suuure, that’s a GOOD thing. Fuck off, mate. If that’s motivation, you’re an incredibly immoral person. No, we’re motivated by the desire to discover, to improve the human condition, and simple curiosity. We don’t need wealth as a motivator. The greatest inventors whom we all celebrate, from Da Vinci to Tesla, never considered wealth.

        • Jordan

          Now that is interesting. Lets forget about the one-offs “Da Vinci and Tesla”. Which you are wrong about Tesla, but whatever. The ordinary rationale man/woman wants to have a better life. Innovation is compatible with motivation, and money is a great motivator to the VAST MAJORITY of our human race. Yes, some are not motivated by money, and that is great, good on them. But MOST people are, and it is wonderful. We live in a great society where if you have a shitty life, you can educate yourself, work hard and make it a bit better. And there is no reason for telling me to “Fuck off”. And I’m not “immoral”. It is weird that the most countries that follow capitalism give the most money to charity per capita. Why is that?

          • B

            We live in a society that benefits from child slave labor. We live in a society that sends jobs to countries with no civil rights. We live in a society in which half of the wealthiest Americans are Waltons, while their employees require Medicaid and food stamps to get by. I know plenty of people who have worked hard all of their lives and are educated and they will never be financially secure. We live in a society where profits are privatized and loss is nationalized, corporate welfare costs us far more than feeding hungry children ever will and our politicians are millionaires with no clue about the struggles of average people. I’m guessing that you are one of those people born on third base and think that you’be hit a home run. You probably have been swimming with the current your whole life and think that you that makes you a strong swimmer. Just try a little harder -,people are trying harder and falling further and further behind. If they just saved a little more, you think, they too could be a successful capitalist such as yourself. Why don’t you just give some credit where credit is due and say, “thanks daddy” and then shut up.

          • Jordan

            First of all, why do all comments have to be so personal? My family was dirt poor growing up and i had to work 2 jobs and study my ass off to go to school, get an education and earn the CFA charter. So please don’t assume that about me.

            Our society benefits from child labour. Yes. For now. But as these countries become more developed (through capitalism) the middle class will grow, and wealth will be attained, causing a better society for all. This will cut out child labour and workers rights will increase. If you are working for Wal-Mart and earn a shitty wage, great, feel sorry for yourself. Or, you can build up your skill set and get a better job! Boom - Capitalism! If you are not happy with your current life, go out and change it! don’t whine about it, don’t blame “society”, don’t blame the Waltons - Blame yourself. Take responsibility.

            We are lucky to live in a society that allows someone who is black, dirt poor from a single mother to grow up and graduate Harvard Law and become the President of the USA. That is remarkable, and it is something to praise.

            You seem like someone who bathes in political rhetoric with the “politicians have no idea of the average person” comment. Maybe so, but WE vote them in. So again, stop complaining and do something about it.

          • Lawrence

            LOOOL, I didn’t realize you were a trollll. Jeez. You racist fuck. Barack sr. went to harvard too.

          • chris

            You don’t understand how Capitalism works Jordan, it only works if the workers get paid 1000′s of times less than the owners. Do the math, how can everyone earn millions a year, how can everyone earn 100′s of thousands a year. If walmart were to raise every one of their “North American” emplyoee’s wages $1/hr, that would cost $1.4 million per hour, a potentiial of over $2 billion per year. They won’t do that, cause then you whould have to pay more from your 70″ LED tv. That’s just the north American side, now take the millions of workers building these TV’s, chairs, clothes, almost every thing we buy, who get a few hundred to a few thousand dollars a year for 12-18 hours shifts. You couldn’t afford to buy anyting if they even paided them minimum wage. You act as though these jobs are a gift to the third world, it’s modern day slavery, they have no choice, if they don’t work, they die from starvation. Would they rather earn $10 (the minimum wage in Ontario) you bet, can they, no, it is impossible, and people like O’Leary know this, and keep it that way so that the bussiness’ that boosts billion dollar PROFIT each year, will make $2 Billion next year. And that also makes sure to drag us along with it, because if your retirment funds/savings are linked to how well the stock market does, then it doesn’t sting as much when the CEO of Comcast earns $29 million dollars per year, but the employee’s earn $30,000/year. Do you think that the CEO of Comcast did the same amount of work as 966 of his field/call center/installers/service Techs??

          • another_fedup_taxpayer

            You accuse someone else of not understanding how Capitalism works, yet haven’t demonstrated that you understand it yourself. No, no one would ever argue that the CEO of Comcast did the same ‘amount’ of work as 966 of his employees. ‘amount’ of work is an ignorant measure, and I assume you understand that. If it weren’t, then we should be socialist where a doctor working 8 hours a day earns the same as a janitor. It is not the amount of work that sets your pay, it is its value to society. There is only one CEO needed, so it pays substantially more than a simple field/call center/installer/service tech job so as to attract the best. If the CEO screws up, the entire company fails. Do you really think the investors should pull in joe blow from the call center to run the company at $30/k a year? What kind of performance do you think the company would get? Capitalism works. You may not like how the rest of society values your skill set or current employment productivity, but you don’t have to. Get another skill set, make it more valuable, get another job, or start your own business. Stop demanding a portion of what I or anyone else makes just because you think you deserve it. You don’t, you still have to earn it.

          • Jordan

            Couldn’t have said it better myself.

          • Robert Reed

            your an asshole I have a skill its called beating the shit out of assholes like you … step up and see what a real man acts like you remind me of a greedy selfish child…

          • Jordan

            Hahaha. you have just proved how cooooool you are. Lets get into a fist fight over the internet.

            Here are the rules:
            1. Correct spelling counts as a Jab.
            2. Correct punctuation counts as a right hook annnnnnd
            3. If you are REALLY tough, Caps locks gives you the KNOCKOUT!!

            people are just soooo tough on internet chat rooms these days haha

          • Robert Reed

            actually that would probably work you wouldn’t have to pay millions a years for one person lol it would be astounding how easy it is for every person to know how to pay there bills but how unattainable it is because there boss thinks they need more than everyone else to survive

          • Robert Reed

            you need a punch in the face buddy it might help you feel the real truth about all this BS call me lazy to my face it would be funny how fast id make you bleed… you can and will hide behind your keyboard and talk all this shit but the fact still remains you need an old fashioned ass whipping

          • Jordan

            Its funny how you are the one calling on people to come fight, and how you are going to make their “face bleed”, when you are essentially “hiding behind your keyboard”.

            Soooo, are you proposing that you and I meet up and fight at the bike rack? Actually, it would kind of seem a little more fitting if we met up at an internet cafe and brawled over the 99 cent per page printer. is this what you mean by an “old fashioned ass whipping”

    • Don Juan

      Actually he is not out of touch with reality at all.

      I think an important point that no one has mentioned yet is the fact most coutnries with extremely poor populations are as a result of a corrupted government which doesn’t give freedom to its people.

      Not to mention we now live in a world where, in spite of unequal wealth distribution, the greatest amount of wealth to the greatest amount of people has actually reached its peak and, with each passing Century, is rapidly gaining.

      Humanity is still improving. 100 years ago a lot of us would’ve died by now for some reason or another. Scores of others wouldn’t have even existed due to unsuitable conditions for pregnancy to occur during the year you were conceived.

      You can say its unproductive to have this opinion; that it justifies bad stuff going on in the world of today, but I also think it is equally as bad to go about thinking the world is oh so terrible today.. IT’s simply fiction to believe humanity isn’t improving- there is just this illusion wherby you believe its getting worse simply due to the availability of infornmation of poverous places.

      • Jordan

        Totally agree. Very good points.
        I believe that as the world becomes more open - through the internet and other forms of communication, it will force civilizations to demand more freedom, rights and ultimately more from their political leaders and fellow citizens. This has been and currently is a dictators worse nightmare. This is why they try so hard to control the media, internet and all forms of communication. However, as technology continues to progress, i firmly believe this is the missing variable that will drive change. It may take decades, or even centuries, but I believe (and desperately hope) this to come to fruition. I know this sounds like empty rhetoric, but everyone has their dreams :)

  • YourIgnoranceIsPainful

    Canada’s Rush Limbaugh.

  • Joseph M Acosta

    Crabtree and this guy should be inducted in the HALL OF SHAME and learn this not how to play the game.

  • Greg

    Phil, you can’t be serious, he’s proven himself to be a business failure at best and criminally fraudulent at worst with his cooked books sell out to Mattel and his dismal record of fund management. This is a matter of public record: http://content.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1921635,00.html#ixzz2R3otpxTy

    • EmpowerAndChange.org

      Hoping you can share this on the New FB wall. Trying to assemble a list of which products he owns for a nationwide to boycott. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Boycott-Kevin-OLeary-His-Products/652859384770317

  • Edgar Lefebvre

    Kevin needs to loose everything he owns…then….he might Feel for the rest of us.

  • Arch N Denise Dimmer

    what a fucking idiot!!!

  • Cassandra InDetroit

    She looks like she going across that table and slap him…I wouldn’t be mad at her.

  • realpigasus

    What a dummy

  • Don

    There are times when a person just needs to shut the F&^% up…

  • So what?

    People are way too sensitive… Who cares what he says or thinks… Get over it

    • Robert Reed

      I care …. people need to do something about the shitty state of our world were only here for so long and dying before I see change is something I don’t like to think about its pointless you may as well be dead now

  • mhudson

    This freak really doesn’t have an ounce of compassion for anyone but himself. What a loser, He really needs to lose everything he has, get off his high chair, being rich is not all that matters, wow!

  • magnusmax

    I would call him a c*nt but it does a disservice to the word

    • Peter

      Kevin O’Leary should be dragged the poorest spot on earth, stripped naked, without a penny or given a means of contacting anyone and let to find his way back to wealth, like the asshole of a dragon he is! And shame on anyone that would associate themselves with such a pig!!! He hasn’t the slightest idea of being humbled and NEEDS to be!!!!!

      • Robert Reed

        agreed losers like him only help to ruin our world day by day

    • Sascha616

      Indeed, for those items have warmth and depth.

  • Jeffery Bucove

    I met this man on a CBC soundstage. He’s a total dork.

  • p pender

    he is to the business world, what judge judy is to law…..

  • regan

    If you can’t see that this is just for ratings you all need help. If this show had a more moderate co host would anyone be talking about it ? Would it have lasted as long as it has ? A stunningly beautiful, kind hearted young lady vs. “the man” . The whole thing is patronizing to watch.

  • mark

    CBC, Kevin has to go.

  • PeterLT

    I’m not even sure what to say….

    • So What

      come on people don’t ya think Kevin knows what he’s saying it’s just for our reaction
      don’t buy into his miny mind antis and stop your worries of what you don’t have and just be who you are Grow Up Kevin

  • ParliamentHillCat1

    Amanda Lang looks like she’s ready to throttle him. I would have loved it if she had!

  • Aidan Morgan

    Imagine his joy when one person on the planet owns absolutely everything. We’ll know when it happens because O’Leary will disintegrate into a ball of pure energy.

  • Urlo

    That’s rich ! (No pun intended).
    But no mention of the fact that this Libertarian clown is paid BY YOU AND ME.
    He’s paid handsomely to appear on the publicly (taxpayer)-funded CBC.
    Pretty ironic for a capitalist like you, isn’t it Kevin?

  • sandra

    Occupy Wall Street - Chris Hedges shuts down CBC Kevin O’Leary http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAhHPIuTQ5k 2011

  • panfisher2708

    Wonder why we have so many suicide bombers in the world. The fanatics of the world enlist the children of the world into their ranks. They indoctrinate them to hate wealth countries. Children are easy to brain wash when they are starving. The out come is; they are the Cruise Missiles of the small armys of fanatics the world

  • http://www.zugunruhe.ca/ Petra Kassun-Mutch

    Kevin O’Leary was sickening to watch and kudos to Amanda Lang for remaining professional. Shame on this poor excuse for a business person. If he ever spent any time outside his own version of Elysium, he would realize that vast majority billions in poverty -heck even those not in poverty-work just as hard as the priviledged 85—and here is the intereting part-often its the same work…putting roof over the head of a family, providing food, and finding access to healthcare.

    • ruthmcveigh

      I watch because I’m interested and I like Amanda - though how she keeps her cool is beyond me. CBC, please have Rudyard Griffiths take O’Leary’s place.

  • Harry Vest

    “For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” - Revelation 3:17

  • B. Hill

    People who are rich are fortunate as far as I am concerned. The 3.5 billion people who are poor are the average work a day person. Even those who start their own business to make money, are still going to be poor, just making enough money to survive, perhaps make a smidgen profit. Kevin O’Leary is clearly a arrogant, narcissistic, pompous oaf who obviously does not know what it like. Not everyone has the luxury to make money like the way he describes.

    • magnusmax

      yeah, but the truly cruel part of all of this is the 3.5 billion referred to in the segment likely don’t even have all of their basic needs met (adequate food, clean water, shelter, health care, etc….)….the ‘work a day poor’ that you refer to (and I totally agree with that assessment, because they’re poor relative to the country they live in) are probably still ‘lucky’ enough to be in the top 3.5 billion…just shows how far outta whack things have gotten. by any metric, it seems the West (and the U.S. and particular) is primed for some kind of social/financial upheaval, this state of affairs simply isn’t sustainable…

  • Ethan

    Capitalism Parasites

  • Guest

    This is ‘fantastic news’ as it helps the 99% focus on the 1%, Fuck Kevin O’Leary I beat that he is a cokehead.

  • Guest

    wddd

  • Laurie Lamarche

    I used to watch the Lang and O’Leary Report, but couldn’t stomach this man. I forced myself to watch a few more episodes, telling myself I could ignore this waste of skin, but couldn’t do that either.

  • Guest

    This is ‘fantastic news’ as it helps the 99% focus on the 1%, Fuck Kevin O’Leary I beat that he is a cokehead.

  • http://www.hypenotic.com/ Barry A. Martin

    Wait, Are we saying that we just need to expropriate the wealth of 85 people to balance the world? Let’s do it!

  • Lady D

    it doesn’t matter how hard these people may work, greedy people like him, who are in a privileged position to be ‘motivated’ by these facts will only exploit others poverty situation. For not even a second could he enter the empathetical stance of the fact that people on the same planet as him are dying from starvation, the most brutal horrid and inhumane way to die, in a time where there is more than enough food. Tell him to do his job without food, we’ll see how long that lasts. The arrogance!

    • Sheryl McCumsey

      Interesting that he comments on how GMO’s are going to feed the world and those of us who oppose this are so “uncaring” and we should be ashamed. I am not surprised he makes such a comment. This man supports big corporations and all the harm they do worldwide.

  • Megs

    I guarantee he has a small d*ck.

    • ishmaeldaro

      lol

  • magnusmax

    for anyone who wants further insight into this issue (if only to put a**holes like this in their place when they snidely espouse the value of inequality), check out “Inequality for All”, fantastic new doc by Clinton’s Labor Secretary (Robert Reich)….inequalityforall . com

  • ruthmcveigh

    I watch the program ONLY WHEN O’L IS NOT ON.

  • Jonathan Wagner

    This is Kevin building his brand. He also contributes to a major problem which is a complete misunderstanding of money. Money is nothing without labor and the answer to improving quality of life in some of these poor countries is actually not money, it is labor. People like Bill Gates and Bono have talked about this issue extensively. The issue is not money, there are billions of dollars sitting in charities, the problem is there are just not enough of the physical educated bodies required.

    Money doesn’t magically create things, it simply motivates people to create things, but there are limits to production independent of money.

  • VancouverDoug42

    I have to chuckle at O’Leary’s tunnel vision each time he gets dismissive of the ‘wealth redistribution’ argument (like he does in the clip for this story). What has happened since the second world war is nothing short of an obscene and a-moral redistribution of wealth into the hands of a small number of sociopaths. They got to where they are mostly on the backs and bodies of millions. Rabid capitalism. O’Leary is clueless to that. He just wants wants wants.

    • Darcy

      Research has shown that many successful businessmen, Ceo’s etc have sociopathic tendencies. Lack of remorse, lack of compassion, narcissique behaviour, self centered. These are all traits you need to get that rich. That’s one of the reasons why all the wealth is in the hands of the few. In a society where money is all that matters what can you expect? Mr O’leary’s self worth and image is tied to his wealth. I’m sure that in his mind he’s right next to God.

  • Chantal B

    What a fucking moron. On a national television network, really?! People like him are a big big part of the problem.

  • Charles Robert Larsh

    asshole

  • jasmin

    Why people think money is everything… Some of the most happy people in the world are the most poor. Money does not = happiness.

  • http://gidilounge.fm/ Benny Bing

    People like Kevin O’Leary who dont see anything wrong with the 3.5 Million living in abject poverty are arrogant and selfish. It’s one thing to celebrate Capitalism and another to make a dumb statement like this.

    We all know he tries to play the asshole because he thinks it looks good on him but he need to shut up.

  • Brian Gilbert

    Never did like that Ass 0

  • Lawrence Poole

    The day this imbecile finds himself under the care of the health system, he’ll be so happy that these people devote themselves to caring for others rather than making themselves filthy rich!!

  • Dylen Durret

    When you write about him, aren’t you just giving him more fame?

  • TToon

    Kevin O’Leary represents everything I don’t want to be. I change the channel when he is on.

  • B

    eat the rich

  • http://womenborntranssexual.com Suzan Cooke

    It inspires lots of people to read Marx and pick up AK47s.
    “The history of all hitherto existing society(2) is the history of class struggles.

    Freeman and slave, patrician and plebeian, lord
    and serf, guild-master(3) and
    journeyman, in a word, oppressor and oppressed, stood in constant opposition
    to one another, carried on an uninterrupted, now hidden, now open fight,
    a fight that each time ended, either in a revolutionary reconstitution
    of society at large, or in the common ruin of the contending classes.
    ”

    From the Constitution of the Industrial Workers of the World…

    Preamble to the IWW Constitution

    The working class and the employing class have
    nothing in common. There can be no peace so long as hunger and want are
    found among millions of the working people and the few, who make up the
    employing class, have all the good things of life.

    Between these two classes a struggle must go on until the workers of
    the world organize as a class, take possession of the means of
    production, abolish the wage system, and live in harmony with the Earth.

    We find that the centering of the management of industries into fewer
    and fewer hands makes the trade unions unable to cope with the ever
    growing power of the employing class. The trade unions foster a state of
    affairs which allows one set of workers to be pitted against another
    set of workers in the same industry, thereby helping defeat one another
    in wage wars. Moreover, the trade unions aid the employing class to
    mislead the workers into the belief that the working class have
    interests in common with their employers.

    These conditions can be changed and the interest of the working class
    upheld only by an organization formed in such a way that all its
    members in any one industry, or in all industries if necessary, cease
    work whenever a strike or lockout is on in any department thereof, thus
    making an injury to one an injury to all.

    Instead of the conservative motto, “A fair day’s wage for a fair
    day’s work,” we must inscribe on our banner the revolutionary watchword,
    “Abolition of the wage system.”

    It is the historic mission of the working class to do away with
    capitalism. The army of production must be organized, not only for
    everyday struggle with capitalists, but also to carry on production when
    capitalism shall have been overthrown. By organizing industrially we
    are forming the structure of the new society within the shell of the
    old.

  • Manish Shanbhag

    What a fucking prick !! I wish people like him disappear from the planet. The world won’t be hurt if we have lesser of his kind.

  • Owen Ingraham

    CBC, the new Fox News

  • dawudster

    Whether he “really” believes in or not… this is what he HAS to say… it has become his BRAND… anything less and his stock suffers…

  • MaryRS

    Kevin O’Leary has no compassion whatsoever. He needs to take a reality break. But he won’t. I wonder if he is a sociopath.

  • sano

    We allow Don Cherry in sports and get this buffoon in business. thank you CBC.

  • John Paul

    As You said He is “Poor” a very poor human being !

  • wulfric82

    Guillotine. NOW.

  • Sheryl McCumsey

    Thing is, a lot of those “rich” people are really living off of the backs of the poor….not only does he lack compassion but he is kind of stupid. … As was his arguments about GMO’s.

  • bozo

    what a bozo…

  • Terry

    What a doushe! He deserves a kick to the head…and from personal experience with this guy he is lucky he will never cross my path again!

  • troof

    this guy never worked a day in his life.

  • http://1000lifelessons.com Leo Tabibzadegan

    That was an intense interview lol.

    I think the point he’s trying to get a cross is that too many people don’t invest enough time or energy into creating whatever their goals and dreams are (in this case money).

    But it goes for anything and everything.

    We’re all so reactive these days. 1% of people are proactive and really follow their dreams the rest of us are playing on Facebook, watching T.V. or playing with a stick and tire. At the same time educating the poor on how to fish (instead of handing it out as a band-aid fix) should be at the top of the list of priorities, rich ppl should invest more time teaching ppl how they did it to help create the kind of confidence that would help anyone and everyone have a fighting chance and inspire them to turn off those distractions and give it a shot.

    That’s just my 2 cents.

    • Sheryl McCumsey

      A lot of rich people don’t give a damn and are looking for ways to exploit their power further. What we learn from them is how not to care for others….

      • http://1000lifelessons.com Leo Tabibzadegan

        Great point! I think an overall selfishness and lack of consideration for others is really at the root of it all. I really hope something changes int he hearts of the few, for he benefit of all!

    • Harrison Lansing

      Anyone and everyone, huh? We’re all lucky to have been born where we were and when we were…but billions were not. Billions will never…ever…be part of your “anyone and everyone” comment, Leo.

      • http://1000lifelessons.com Leo Tabibzadegan

        You are right. I wish there was a way to distribute the wealth so those not as lucky can have a fighting chance. Total injustice.

  • Zoe

    Haha “Oh wait, I DON’T HAVE SOCKS.” Very nice.

  • BURHAN

    It is rare to find a person who becomes rich so fast without doing illegal business.

  • Livefrommontreal

    If I may suggest to all Canadian :
    http://www.ombudsman.cbc.radio-canada.ca/en/contact-us/

  • Big Guwopp

    FREE GUCCI

  • Harvir Kalirai

    I have no sympathy for this man. Hope he loses every dime, People are losing jobs, and this ass crack is saying poverty is fantastic. FUCK YOU ASS HOLE!!

  • Mitch Davis

    he is fat and bald

  • Mitch Davis

    but is he works hard he might grow hair and lose weight

  • meh

    holy shit, kill him with fire

  • B boy

    Kevin O liary (Right spelling) is a disgusting low life, the nicest thing he could do is to visit these unfortunate human beings and contract one of the incurable diseases that these people suffer, and do humanity a favor.B. Boy I am sure he can afford a nice casket. I would definitely celebrate his demise for him.

  • Sunshine8385

    We are talking about people who don’t know where there next meal is coming from or if they will have a roof over their head tonight to sleep and Kevin thinks this if fantastic, Stupid ass…trade them places if it is so fantastic.

  • Daniel

    You can’t compare apples and oranges. This is such a stupid and misleading stat.

  • Kathryn Ens

    Kevin is right to comment the way he did, because it is literally no skin off his back. I like the comment that we 99% will all eventually wind up in poverty. The slave - wage paradigm guarantees it! We need an economic paradigm that has morals.
    Kathryn

    • Guest

      Economic paradigm with morals and that supports the 99%? Eat the rich.

  • Matt Fry

    I understand what he was trying to say, getting people to aspire to something, having an example to look to. I get that.
    But he really sounded like an idiot. I highly doubt most of those 3.5 billion people even care right now. They’re too busy trying to survive on scraps of food. I hope he at least comes back with an apology or puts his words into better context.

  • Daniel

    Even the laziest of the western world are rich in comparison to third world people. A little study of history would reveal why. It is not how hard you work, it is where you are born and raised. You’ve heard of the fertile crescent right? right place, right time, total luck. Another lesson is that the cost of capitalism is degradation of air, land, and water further exasperated the bad luck of third world people. Not a guess, a fact. Mr. O’Leary is not just selfish and cold hearted, he is uninformed. In a better world, he should be the one starving.

  • http://www.sherwinarnott.org/ Sherwin Arnott

    My read is that Kevin O’Leary has become a professional troll like Ezra Levant, Glen Beck and Margaret Wente. He demeans the CBC.

  • richrobert

    this man is a god

  • Guiseppe Mario Mazzola

    when you got money and your a asshole they go really go with each other.This man has not seen poor he never been down that road what the fuck does he know.He has money comeing out of his ass.He is a greedy fuck and he does not and should not be a rich person .He need’s to stop his shit and go get some fucking hair on top of his head.3.5 billion are fucking poor and your rich ass say’s good.FUCK YOU.

  • Adil

    Hey Kevin..the 1% percent called, they said shut your piehole and get a job

  • stanislavsky

    an egomaniac is happy when others are talking about him, praiseworthy or not. let’s dis-accomodate him.

  • Richard Wallace

    We could always revolt like the old days. Murder, rape and pillage his bloodline. I like that idea, that is something to celebrate. When this man dies we should throw a party, get drunk and piss on his fucking grave.

  • df

    well that guy just showed the middle finger like a boss.

  • mcampbell

    Kevin O’Leary comments were disgusting! He needs to volunteer in one of the many refugee camps around the world and get his hands dirty. I have a relative working in South Sudan for peace and the comments are not appreciated. Free speech fine, but does he think before he talks. Runaway socialism does not work; laziness, smart people don’t get ahead, but runaway capitalism leads to an ever widening gap between rich and poor and then starvation for the masses. When the very rich stop avoiding taxes this will be a good day for Canada as some very important and useful social programs are suffering now and there is no end in sight.

  • Juneyt

    He is ABSOLUTELY right… If you live in countries where you can work hard and the opportunities exist, such as North America, Europe and some parts of Asia, however if you are in, let’s say Congo, or somewhere in South America, such as Nicaragua, El Salvador etc. go ahead be my guest, work as hard as you can, nothing, NOTHING will get you where you are right now.

    Kevin, no one is after your wealth, people just want people like you to stop being an A-HOLE, get your head out of your asses and stop caring and stop thinking that you are ALWAYS right, because dude, this time you ARE wrong.

    Juneyt Yetkiner

  • Guy

    I think there is one thing people are forgetting here though. This is a TELEVISION SHOW. Do you believe everything you see on TV?????????? Im guessing most people do judging by all the comments I have read.

  • skarvika

    It doesn’t inspire us, it makes us feel hopeless and alienated as hell! Try living in the real world, O’Leary ffs!

  • Gene Senior

    What an idiot. Seems to be my word of the day for newsmakers today…

  • Tappedout27

    Giving O’Leary that statistic and expecting any other answer is foolish, of course he would say something like that. He demeans people constantly on the Shark show, he is an outright boor. Rather than motivate people to be like him he gives everyone a reason to feel good about what they have lest they turn out to be somebody like him. I remember one interview where he said he had to talk on his cellphone while driving since he could miss out on a trade where he could make a few bucks. So endanger other people’s lives so he can make more money that he doesn’t need. Just another scumbag.

  • mcampbell

    I thought it was a news show on a very serious topic, not a reality show!

  • oma53

    How long do we have to put up with the sheer stupidity and callousness of Kevin O’Leary? He is the prime reason I have stopped watching CBC programming - and not just the programs he appears on.

    This embarrassment has got to go.

    That 3.5 billion people live in poverty is “fantastic” in the view of CBC/O’Leary says much about the current direction of CBC and a lot about O’Leary: totally out of touch with reality and out of touch with ordinary Canadians, corrupt to the gills, and part of the problem.

  • Scott

    Sociopath

  • king

    Who the fuck is that idiot….if he was supposed to ever go broke he wouldn’t know how to whip his own ass……hes got no soul…..peoples like that have a special place in hell….good luck with that buddy. Better hope you never ever have to ask a poor persons for help….

  • harvey swanson

    He’s a shrewd and calculating sociopath. Those are the characteristics required for his upward mobility.

  • A

    This world is a very f#$%^d up place.

  • anonymous

    so all you guys are saying greed is good?, you all need help.

  • Al Boisvert

    What a PIG !!!!!!!!!

  • Raza

    One day the poor will have nothing left to eat but the rich. Maybe he’ll change his views at that point.

  • Duncan Bray

    he purposefully acts like an asshat … it’s a clown routine … a vile, tasteless clown routine

  • Byron

    If you ever see this guy on the street it’s on you to punch him in the nuts for the 3.5 billion+ people he just pissed off.

  • Jordan

    In reality, this is completely true. If everyone had the same wealth, shared by everyone, than there would be absolutely no motivation to create the next “Apple”, “Google” or “Facebook”. This has been proven over and over again. The way Kevin phrased it was obviously a little harsh, but it is a harsh truth. Capitalism is beautiful, and Capitalism is the only system that will allow these kids living in Africa on a dollar a day to become wealthy or increase their quality of life. Communism and Socialism have been tried and have failed, yet Capitalism keeps the thread tight. Why is it the countries that promote Capitalism have the highest GDP per capita and highest quality of life???

    • firsttimer

      There is a central flaw in your argument, in that for things to get better we must be motivated by purpose rather than money. Apple, Google, FaceBook are, for example, successful because they were driven by something other than the pursuit of money. Capitalism is not beautiful, it’s damned ugly and entirely unsustainable in its current form, primarily because the game is rigged.

      • Jordan

        Yes, but all of those companies would still be in a basement, or a dorm room without start-up Capital. And yes, the founders are often driven by other things than money, however they need others to come on board and invest to keep the lights on. And, when these people come on board and invest, they have to offer these people a portion of their company - for the right price. If this was not the case than all of these owners would give 100% of their wealth away to charity.

        The one thing i have no patience for is people spewing this false rhetoric of “the game is rigged”. My little brother use to say that when he would lose to me in basketball. But i was just better than him. Kind of like you have to be better than the next person if you want to be exceptional in capitalism. This is what drives innovation. The pursuit of perfection and competition.

        Who knows if it is sustainable (Adam Smith didn’t believe so, and he was a champion of Capitalism, and he coined the term Invisible hand”. But, Obviously Socialism and Communism were not sustainable and Capitalism is the only system left so I will maintain my vote for CAPITALISM!!!

    • Tappedout27

      Capitalism is beautiful? Tell that to the millions in the U.S. living on food stamps. Tell it to the tens of thousands of kids in Canada who go to school hungry every day. Tell it to the millions of people in both countries who work like slaves to
      eke out a bare existence. Perhaps if there were true capitalism rather than the corrupt mix of socialism for the corporations and banks and survival of the fittest for the workers the system could be seen as a good thing, but what we now have is in no way anything to cheer.

      • Jordan

        Agreed, this is horrible. I hate poverty, i hate that kids have to go hungry. However, the only way these kids have any hope of getting out of this black hole is by being motivated enough to increase their quality of life. I know it sounds heartless, but it is true. I came from a family with nothing - i was one of those hungry kids, but i was able to bare down in school, study, work 2 jobs and get through university and become a CFA charterholder. I was motivated by increasing my quality of life and giving my family more than what I had growing up. I am thankful we live in a country where this is possible. So when i say Capitalism is beautiful, this is what i mean.

        • Tappedout27

          Capitalism as a pure idea and without corruption could be a good system but you could say the same about communism or socialism. When they are bastardized by a criminal element, as they always have been the result is much the same, a few live like Kings while the rest surive at best. We have just seen what havoc Capitalism can cause with the Kings of Capitalism on Wall Street almost destroying the economy of the whole world through unbelievable greed and with the help of all levels of government and authority. That havoc continues with millions thrust into poverty, losing homes and jobs and the worst is yet to come as workers retire and find that their nest eggs, that they counted on to generate a living, disappear since interest rates are so low that their savings earn nothing. So then Socialism kicks in for the thieves as their banks are bailed out by the taxes of their victims and rather than being sent to jail where they belong they once again go back to the same work and bonuses.

          • Jordan

            What separates Capitalism from Socialism and Communism is Motivation. Capitalism thrives on motivation to be better, earn more and increase quality of life for one and his family. Regarding Wall Street - yes they had a part in our recession, but they sold these MBS, CDO’s and ABS’s to our pensions, wealth managers and other banks. If these individuals would have done their analysis, they would have realized this stuff was shit, and not have purchased them. The few that did realize these products were shit, actually shorted them, and made billions. Yes it is easy to blame Wall Street, but they were only a part of the problem. As far as the low interest rates - this is a good thing! it forces people to invest in equities and other investments that earn more money (Capitalism). But yes, you are right Socialism fucked up and bailed Wall street out! This is bullshit we should have let them die and go bankrupt. And yes, we should have put every single one of those assfucker bankers in jail that broke the law. It is a fucked up system, but it is (in my opinion) better than any other system. The one thing i think we need to change is the USA’s Super PAC - Corps & rich people should not be allowed to give to political orbs without being named. Brutal

          • Tappedout27

            I would imagine it was a very small group that realized the securities were shit when all the ratings agencies gave them triple A ratings. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were in on the con also and pushed Wall Street to sell more of the toxic bonds. Just a big game and the insiders got rich while millions lost everything. Socialism in the purest form would motivate just as much or more than Capitalism if workers knew they were going to share in the profits rather than have a few paid millions while the average worker receives a pittance. Again we have never seen any of the perceived systems work as they should or could since they have always been and continue to be co-opted by a few at the top. Human nature, I guess but it shoud also be human nature to drag the criminals out into the street and hang them from the lamp posts.

        • tool_guy

          I have a similar background and you are wrong. Capitalism as you describe it is a zero-sum game. You only win when others lose.

          • Jordan

            That is a ridiculous statement. So when a VC firms invest in companies that are Eco Friendly, and they become profitable, is this Zero-sum? No, 1. Investor makes money. 2. founder Makes money. 3. Environment improves… Not zero-sum!
            Or when an investor funds a start up that needs capital to research a Cancer fighting drug that may end up saving your life, is this zero-sum? No. Again 1. Investor makes money. 2. Founder/Researcher makes money. 3 You stay alive a little longer… Not Zero-sum!!

            Capitalism is not just Wall street Traders moving around money, Capitalism is a system that rewards innovation and ideas. So even though there are some horror stories, there are also some great success stories. Which is the opposite of a Zero-Sum Game.

    • tool_guy

      Actually it is NOT true. Research into the wealthy and their motivation is not as you state. Also some good anecdotal articles out there about their motivation from the rich folks. One who describes it as an addiction.

      • Jordan

        Its not just about the wealthy. Capitalism thrives because it incorporates the total population. It allows someone that is poor to become rich. It rewards good ideas and penalizes shitty ones. It allows a poor young black man, growing up without a father to graduate from Harvard Law and become the President of the USA. The central idea behind Capitalism is motivation. Whatever this motivation is, it is usually to be richer, more successful, more powerful than the person beside them. I applaud this and am thankful to live in a capitalist society.

  • AnotherBillJ

    Never has a bigger embarrassment to mankind walked this Earth. And aren’t we lucky…he’s a TV celebrity that we can watch every week.

  • TheEdge

    Well this article adds absolutely nothing to the discussion and is a waste of time. Many of these top 1% are individuals who created their personal wealth out of their sweat, blood and tears (and yes, some on the sweat, blood and tears of others). Indeed some luck is involved and many of the world’s poor will never get the opportunity to prove themselves, but there is something tangible with being inspired who have the qualities we desire (even if it isn’t humility). But what value does this bring to the discussion? At least Leary is offering a positive spin to the math.

  • markmckinlay

    I stopped watching a long time ago. Kevin O’Leary has nothing to say that I want to hear.. I feel sorry for Amanda Lang having to put up with his crap! It’s a good thing he’s got money because he has no personality!

  • codered®

    Damn, you would of thought this clown was an American (no offense intended).

  • bb

    And it’s ‘fantastic’ news that the rest of the population knows not to aspire to be a douche like him. How about actually inspire people instead of sounding like a rich snob. He should know better.

  • DoResearchPLEASE

    the government is hand in hand with the pharmaceutical companies, the pill pushers won’t make money if they cure cancer. same with suicide, the government finds it illegal because they can’t get any more money from you.

  • DoResearchPLEASE

    Money is a tool for slave labour. Hes one of the slave masters.

  • DoResearchPLEASE

    http://www.bilderberg.org <— find the truth! if you're a canadian did you know we pay germany 160,000,000$$$ everyday in compound interest? and it grows by the day. go to youtube and search 'the oh canada movie' its worth anybody with a souls time

  • Ata Alishahi

    He is an evil stupid man, Who cares if he is successful or not ,Who he think he is? burn in hell with all your money.

  • Conrad Gayle

    Kevin O’Leary needs a good reality check….Jesus says that “it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven”. He needs Jesus.

  • Maestro

    he’s garbage. if i see him on the street, imma whip dirty snow at his effin head.

  • Mike

    Kevin O’Leary’s the absolute man. I love learning from this guy

    • magnusmax

      troll

  • Brig

    Once an ASS, always an ASS.!

  • Christina

    I CANNOT stand Rich snubby a-holes like that. is people like that who ruin society. Kevin and other Snobby Rich idiots need to see this first hand, OH I know, Lets Take away all his wealth, take his fancy cars, private jets, his companies, say good by to all the stocks you own, Hey you know that expensive fancy suit thats probably italian and made by a sweat shop? Lets take that too and see how he feels and how his perspective changes if he’s living on welfare or barely making bills or worse, living on t he streets.
    Kevin you are a JOKE! yea you have big companies, yea your companies may do stuff for charities, or you donate to charities but ya know what? I bet you do it just for yourself. to make YOU publicly look better to make your companies look better in front of the public AND competitors.

  • Brian Topolinsky

    I always respected Kevin. He is a very successful business man and after all business is about success and money. He tells it like it is. Good for him. But this has just gone too far. For a man to have so little compassion about others has struck a new low. I researched and found their is a petition to fire him from Dragons Den. I signed it immediately. This man needs to realize now with the Dragons Den and the Land and Oleary Exchange he is now in the public eye. This is a time where he needs to use common sense. Everyone has a right to their own opinion but to think that this is fantastic and publicly admit it. Thats not too bright. Search and Sign the petition folks we need to put an end to this kind of thinking of the elite.

  • Mr_R

    The old “abject poverty is a great motivator” claim, that without it people would become lazy and the world would stop working. That is if they aren’t ground down by it… this man really wants people to take up radical leftism…

    • tool_guy

      So the rich need money to motivate them and the poor need poverty to motivate them. Duh?!

  • ray

    fyi the oxfam study says that 1 billion live in poverty. The 1% does have the same amount of wealth as the bottom 3.5 billion but that’s not to say that 3.5 billion live in abject poverty. Saying that 3.5 billion people live in poverty is sensationalism at best.

    • tool_guy

      Irrelevant. What is relevant is the fact that 1% command so much power over the rest of us.

    • magnusmax

      First, nobody in the article used the term “abject poverty”, which is far more loaded than “poverty”. Secondly, you might want to look more deeply into the numbers:

      http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats

      3 billion live in poverty if your threshold is less than $2.50/day, and than number explodes to 80% of the population if your threshold is less than $10/day. different people may have different opinions about where “not wealthy” starts and “living in poverty” begins, but a very reasonable analysis of the numbers on the site above suggests that its not sensationalist to say that half the world lives in some form of poverty

  • word of reason

    Oooop… here it comes dumb communist hippies, vs. arrogant capitalist assholes, I’d recommend not reading any of the comments below, You will only end up resenting all of humanity.

  • Eric

    Hello, this article is very bad. I don’t think it’s bad for cbc when they get lots of attention and views. The same way O’leary is good for this, uh, really bad website. Thank you.

  • brian

    Just so we are clear, at these levels of wealth, money does not mean the same thing. For most of us, more money means a better standard of living. For a billionaire however, money equates to decision-making power over productive capital (ie. corporations). So Don’t think of it as a few rich people hoarding big screen TV’s, but a group of people who have earned or inherited the right to make economic decisions.

    • tool_guy

      And political decisions over the rest of us!

  • Jon

    First of all, he could have phrased it better and not clinch to his answer so strongly. Second, not everyone has the some opportunities such as internet access, education, clean water, consistent food, etc so it’s not fair to compare the 85 wealthiest to the poorest in the world. His idea of motivation is right on although more needs to be done to equal the playing field. Remember, that many of the wealthiest people do contribute to poverty and it has been the first time in history that poverty has hit an all time low thanks to economic growth.

  • Sonny

    Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
    Luke 18:25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.
    You could have all the treasures in the world. And still be the poorest person alive. Money doesn’t buy happiness, just a better class of enemy.

    People are worth more than things. Think about it.

  • O’greedy

    All things Kevin O’Leary are dead to me, what a clown, enjoy your money, to bad you can’t take it with you when your dead.

  • Michael J. MacNeil Sr.

    Kevin O’Leary! And you carry a Irish name! Were did you steal that name! I never met a Irishman who would see children go hungry. Do you think personnel gain is more powerful then helping a child. You will meet some one in your life that change you soon. No child will go hungry and without shelter on our watch.

  • Cecilia

    He didn’t have to open his mouth. I knew he was a mean selfish Prk….

    • Michael J. MacNeil Sr.

      These are the Kings of Industry? We are all in so much trouble
      .

  • Michael J. MacNeil Sr.

    Only 1% of the people want to be leaders, the rest just follow. Should we make them are slaves? Not feed them. King David led his followers in the desert. Made sure they were feed and sheltered. This Man has learned nothing. I;m disgusted.

  • Jay Moeller

    He’s the Canadian Anne Coulter: he just says the most inane things to try and get attention. He`s a D-list Canadian `celebrity`.

  • Alon_A

    This is the sort of person capitalism produces and rewards; this is the kind of person everyone who has ever defended capitalism has been asking for (and now they’re getting it, good and hard). But people will continue to defend it - complaining about the excesses of the rich and acknowledging the need for regulation and moderation, of course - because they’ve been indoctrinated and can’t be bothered to understand how capitalism actually functions, and why it will keep churning out people like this until they destroy the planet right out from under all of us.

  • Linda Barkavenuedoggrooming Mc

    He’s an embarrassment to humanity. A child living in a mud hut, starving cant muster enough energy to walk , never mind strive for wealth. If you earn your wealth, good for you but somehow wealth seems to suck the common sense and compassion out of most. A hungry child dreams of their next meal, not a private jet. This guys an A-Hole.

  • CanuckDriss

    O’Leary is a contrarian clown, and as with every clown, he should be laughed at.

    • magnusmax

      most clowns don’t have any power though

      • CanuckDriss

        True, O’Leary has as much power as we are willing to give him in a democracy, but to your point this is looking more and more like a plutocracy.

  • Zach

    I strive to be as fucking polar opposite of this scummy shithead as I can possibly be. God damn. I had to watch this again because I didn’t think a human being could be so openly heartless….

  • Neil C.P. Mudde

    The CBC “Canada’s Public Broadcasting” is giving this guy far too much air time, heaven knows no doubt mega bucks out of our taxpayers moneys, the other day he was seen on the CBC early morning show wearing a bathrobe as he was on holidays in the US spouting off about some capitalist scheme…..surely we have Canadian economist with a much more balanced point of view.

  • Bill Polonsky

    Thing about these right wing swine is they don’t care if they act like a twat as long as they act.
    The basis of the Nazis was acting on conviction.

  • dkel

    This is the most crass form of ignorance and stupidity infecting the planet today, and the most prevalent among those who should know better.

    It drives the thinking of policy-makers, since they are beholden to (and members of) the segment of the world’s population who could otherwise most make a difference. It is more than lack of feeling: it is outright ignorance on the part of those who have the least excuse for ignorance.

    The root of ignorance among the poor is malnutrition and lack of education. The root of ignorance among the wealthy — who have no such excuses — is their own wealth.

    Such ignorance masquerading as benevolent enthusiasm (and concealed blame) should be called out whenever and wherever it appears.

    • EmpowerAndChange.org

      I Quoted your commentary in my group. Hope you don’t mind. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Boycott-Kevin-OLeary-His-Products/652859384770317?ref=hl

  • SS

    If you don’t want to work for your wealth, you don’t deserve it… end of story

    +1 for O’Leary

    • magnusmax

      well I guess that settles it

  • Mark

    ok let them keep the Money they stole from the World, unless we can prove it in Court, that they stole it. Then the government should just take all their businesses and redistribute it to all the people. if they want to give more to us the people, then we might start to like them.

  • Fred Daigle

    He is happy because of the fact that western economics are based on Keynesian principles…the basis of which is the supply of cheap labor makes it possible for people with money to make more of it. Most people dont realize this in our society imo and are therefore destined to participate only as the real driving force that makes the rich richer…not saying this is good or bad…just stating the facts.
    Personally I agree with the poster who said they only watch the program when he is not present…he may appeal to the ignorant or the wealthy few who may be able to exploit the resource of a cheap labor force but, he does not to me…

  • Jesiah

    There’s a disclaimer before the broadcast. It’s all his own opinions, Kevin O’Leary doesn’t work for CBC. And thank goodness we’re Canadians and all of us have a right to individual opinions.

    • magnusmax

      everyone has a right to their opinions, for sure, but not everyone should have the privilege of a megaphone to voice them.

  • seanizle

    Brother better watch his mouth, historically when the gap between the haves and the have nots grows too large, rich assholes start disappearing.

  • cigarlady

    Kevin O is a brand like Larry Flint or Hugh Heffner. We love it when he spews stuff like this. It builds his notoriety and value as a celebrity and a marketable asset. If he bled for the poor we would be disappointed.

  • jjjjjjjjj

    Wow, die kevin o’leary

  • everyotherpersonintheworld

    hey buddy give up all your money and start over from scratch see how that works out for ya. what a thing to say he’s obviously never had it rough in life whatsoever. Using money to make money doesn’t say much about you as a person talking about working “hard”.

  • John Hays

    To all that think the “rich” should redistribute their money instead of being so evil and greedy to keep it for themselves, I am sure you can find say a thousand people in the world that have less than you do. So just redistribute what you have. Sauce for the goose, right? it is the “rich” people spending money on things they want and paying taxes that make it possible for people to have jobs and things like roads, schools, hospitals and so on to exist. So, saying that a “rich person didn’t build that” is pure BS since it was the taxes that he/she paid had a big part of building everything we all use.

  • couic

    lol. the rich would let poor people get rich… like “welcome in the familly of multibillionaires, take a seat, hey here is a part of my cake for you”

    one of the basics of capitalism is competition. which means crushing opponents by any mean (including dirty tricks), before they crush you. any poor aiming for the top will be crushed when they get bigger.

    and if you manage to get to the top without being bought or crushed by the people already there, it means that a/ your hands are dirty because you wouldn’t have got there without eliminating competition by all means and b/ you’ll have to keep this competitive way of life, otherwise somebody else will take your place.

    capitalism follows the exact same pattern as mafias. exept it is more efficient in buying politicians.

    ok it makes the world’s economy more dynamic. but does economy really needs to be dynamic to be fair with everyone ? i don’t think so. to be fair with everyone, economy needs heavy regulation. and that goes against modern capitalism.

  • http://www.studentdebtmonkey.com/ Student Debt Monkey

    What a low life.

  • FreeMarketLibertarian

    Love it, Capitalism is the way to go.. i’m sick and tired of all these socialists that want those to work hard to pick up the slack of others. Marxism destroys economies which in turn destroys nations.

    • JimW

      So why is the US economy in such bad shape. We have lowered taxes on the rich, cut the safety net programs and still the economy gets worse. When your economy is based solely on greed it collapses just like it did in 2008. The greedy could not see that they were destroying themselves, all they could see was the short term profit. If you truly believe in capitalism we should never have bailed wall street or the banks out. They should have gone down with the world economy and capital would no longer exist.

  • JimW

    Capitalism is a pyramid scam. The most ruthless person ends up with everything. If you believe that people on the bottom can rise to the top you don’t understand a pyramid.

    You will never have 3.5 billion rich people and 85 poor people, there just isn’t that much loot to go around.

  • Steven Dunbar

    As a person who struggled to be successful only to have my world come crashing down due to an accident “not of my fault” and become disabled I spit in this so called mans face. I live in poverty now, go to food banks and own NOTHING! Let all of us on disability crawl to the top to be just like him because we are now motivated. Each day I think of a way to get off and become part of a productive society… yes I feel degraded by this ass holes comments. Tell me Mr Rich man and help me out here, how can I do this??? Where is the middle finger icon to salute you?

    PS: I will never watch a show this man is on again… hope no one else will either!

  • Sarah

    what a total asshole that man is

  • Sarah

    It’s not inspiring to the poorest 3.5 billion to know that they will NEVER get rich because all the world’s money is kept by the elite and passed on to their children. What an asinine comment - that if you work hard one day you can be super rich. A poverty stricken Sudanese family will be working hard every day of their lives just to exist amidst political unrest and unstable geographic conditions. Working hard to stay alive every day will NEVER amount to obscene wealth in today’s society. How on earth could it? An utterly deplorable and farcical comment which shows a wilfull lack of understanding of the world and then this guy gets a platform from which to inform others? The world is perverse.

  • mcampbell

    We need a global minimum wage since everything is global now. Capitalism will only exist based on human labour and when human labour gets too cheap, the system fails. I predict that this could happen with countries like Germany and Sweden leading the way as they have the most balance in their societies. Short term political thinking and greed will get in the way, but this may happen eventually as runaway capitalism can not go on indefinitely.

  • Kent MacDonald

    Kevin O’leary not only does’n't get it, he just doesn’t care, While we all may want more than what we currently have or wanting a better life than your parents (if you have parents) is motavation on it’s own. Knowing that 85 people have more than 3.6 billion has nothing to do with “motivation” for a better life. All it is a a sad stat of our global society. Those of us fortunate enuogh to have tv/internet to watch this crap and to be able to comment on this crap do not live any where close to the same “society” as the 3.6b. O’Leary belives this disparity is the motvation to work hard and try and become one of those 85. Really? For us in the first world, no question hard work can help move you up the ecomomic ladder but to think all its going to take for the 3.3b to work harder and they be able to get to being the 85? Really?Most of those 3.6b are all ready working as hard as they can just to find enough food to suvive the day. Those indididauls have more than enough motivation Mr.O’leary its called living and if you really think some 6 year old orphan in Somalia just needs to work hard and he can become Kevin O’ Leary it just show how far detached for reality he really is. Bottom line Mr. O’Leary, 85 to 3.6b is a sad stat and nothing that anyone should be calling “Fantastic”. Finally most of the time, I am on the side of, if you don’t like something than don’t watch it, but in this case i’m am on the side that Mr. OLeary’s comments have pushed me to the side of, it’s time for him to go. CBC its time that Mr. O.Leary’s narcissistic attiude is no longer something CBC should be supporting.

    • Sheryl McCumsey

      Maybe we should all let CBC know we don’t appreciate him.

  • http://brianzahnd.com Brian Zahnd

    I would like to introduce Mr. O’Leary to some rickshaw pullers in Calcutta who could show him the meaning of “working hard.”

  • William Quesnel

    I think Kevin says that it is fantastic that there are people that have earned that much money, not fantastic that there are people living in poverty. It is not directly the fault of the people that have gained all that wealth that there are so many living in poverty. People are born into poverty every day, and people are born in to riches every day, it is the way of our world. If the rich were to share all of their wealth with all of the people living in poverty how long would it be before a new elite would rise and have huge amounts of money, should they then share it with those that do not return the world to a “fair share basis” and wait for the next group to rise to hugh riches? The problems of the world cannot be solved long-term by “sharing the wealth”.

  • Sylvia Boss

    that’s crazy - how can one say such a thing? Revolting…

  • Cathy

    Mr O’leary would benefit greatly if forced to “walk a mile in the shoes” of someone in the poorest 3.5 billion. He needs a reality check.

  • murt

    I don’t know why this guy still has a show on the CBC - someone really needs to take him down a notch.

  • Diskokirk

    Dude I used to have SOME respect for your ethics…. time to bring back the french revolution and to bring back the guillotines! The new monarchs of the world (aka CEOs and the 1%) have fallen so far from reality… I’m lost for words…

  • Anonymous

    My theory is O’Leary is on CBC because he is positioning himself to take it over when the Conservatives decide to privatize it. I think he sees the opportunity to be the next Rupert Murdock, and create a Fox news like following, with the once respected brand of the CBC.

  • John

    People dying everyday because they can’t afford food, medicine or shelter while 85 people sit on trillions. Yes, Kevin, fantastic news. Douche bag…

  • Joel

    This guy’s lost touch with reality. The 3.5 billion people living in poverty have no idea the 85 most wealthy even exist, so how can they covet their wealth? My guess is a person without access to clean water, shelter, or a reliable food supply probably doesn’t have access to a TV or the internet. They’ve got their plates full just surviving.

  • GG

    Kevin O’leary is the worst douche rich bag in America! We should boycott everything he is involved in!

    • EmpowerAndChange.org

      I started a group! please Share it. I’ll make you and Administrator. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Boycott-Kevin-OLeary-His-Products/652859384770317?ref=hl

  • jessica

    Yes. Because being inspired by the 1% is totally gonna feed my starving children…

    • http://ahrtwerx.blogspot.ca/ LadyAmethyst

      Neveryoumind the high costs of education & housing. What about those with epilepsy or some other condition that doesn’t allow one to go into a trade (where the biggest dollars are for us “poors”)? Not everyone has an equal chance.

  • Dave

    Haha its funny how some of you that have an opinion are poor in rich north america. If you go a few days not working you cant even pay your bills. Sad that hes talking about you and you havent relized that you can obtain his wealth too. I have a soul and feel bad for you, i hope you start expanding your mind and become wealthy so you can be an example like he is. Maybe you would stop bashing other people who give to help others and start to look in a mirror. Shows your true character. All in my opinion of course. Lmao

  • Lori Glier

    I am fighting my way to the top out of poverty yet I plan to have heart soul and educate the world!

  • Ivan DeWolf

    “if you work hard, you might be stinking rich someday” …? not if 85 people hoarde %50 of the worlds wealth, then no matter HOW hard you work, you cannot get rich. what’s my motivation to work hard then? ain’t none. screw it, I quit.

    • http://ahrtwerx.blogspot.ca/ LadyAmethyst

      No kidding. How many people have taken a job after being told it’s permanent, worked their butts off, then get laid off due to a (temporary)slow down, and then aren’t re-hired ‘cos human resources found someone to do the same job for less pay? CEOs don’t take pay cuts & generally receive bonuses whether or not profits were made.

  • Gaye

    What he’s saying is no money and great ambition combined with hard work, you too can reach the top! He fails to see, object poverty needs a hand up. Success is about mind set. The bible says, love others as you love yourself, so HELP the poor!!!!

  • DJEB

    Yes, but O’Leary is also fantastically stupid.

  • Nic Notabene

    “It’s fantastic!”, says the guy who spends over $100,000 in one visit to the men’s clothing store (I would know, I used to work there).

    He is oh so in touch with reality.

    • Skyy

      Dearest, I’m sorry but you seem to only give one example of where he distributes his money. He spends money contributing to SEVEN charities over the span of FIVE years to help a cause. Why did you not bring that up? Does it really matter how much a material of clothing costs? Would you not buy yourself expensive clothing if you could? Perhaps you work at this store in the first place to get a discount? Clothing is clothing- I don’t care if I get it for $20 at a thrift store or $200 at H&M. The purpose of clothing is functional. But that is besides the point. If you state one point, you have to be prepared to think about the other side as well. Perhaps it is indeed you, that must take a reality check ;)
      Sky xo

  • Arianna

    So, ‘stinking rich’ is what we should all aspire to be is it? Disgusting. I’d rather do some honest hard work to earn an honest, respectable living - not hog everything for myself so that others are left without. Priorities: I’m satisfied with mine.

  • Skyy

    O’Leary is a successful businessman that continues to inspire thousands of individuals daily, myself included. I am a social work student and am able to see that he did not state at ANY point that it was “good” to be poor. He merely stated that those who are rich have earned their money as a result of hard work. You can work hard as well and gain the amount of money you so desire.
    Nevertheless, Shark Tank & Dragons Den focus on helping others financially to transform their visions into a reality. Furthermore, he is just brutally honest and tells it how it is. If you cannot handle that then turn off the news and go back to your “fuzzy warm magical save the world land.” If you watch the report again you will perhaps see that he did not support being poor. He supported being rich- and FYI- You do NOT know what it is like to be as rich as him, so do not assume anything about him. You are not in his shoes. Please try to keep an open mind and see both sides before jumping to conclusions. That is what you are doing- question why and how he would say that- instead of giving your opinion right away; which is just closed-minded and ignorant..

    And here you go:
    O’Leary and wife, Linda, choose seven charities to focus on for five-year periods. “We focus on those charities and we try to make a difference,” he says. “That’s how people should do it. They should decide what percentage of their income they’re going to give away and then instead of scattering it, get focused. Pick a few institutions that matter to you and give all your money to them.”

    • Robert Reed

      maybe just shifting your greed gear back to low or neutral would be great there people that act like the 1% are like cancer…..

      • Sky

        He is simply stating that it is impressive THOSE people are THAT rich. That SHOULD inspire people to work harder. He did not say anything about the 1% being anything- he did not label or identify them. He was saying the concept of being rich is fantastic; rightfully so. I have encountered people who started lower class and now have millions from working each day.

        • Robert Reed

          right ….. working or living off the backs of others? pretty sure I know how it REALY works or we would all be rich you moron

  • Geoff

    Go fuck yourself Amanda

  • Sebastian Troy

    Those 3.4 billion people can be as inspired as they want but they’ll never get the opportunity to become one of the 1%ers. His argument is only valid assuming everyone gets equal opportunity and that people only fail if they are in some way inferior by their own fault.

    • http://www.reseauforum.org/ Michaël Lessard

      Not to mention we ordinary folks in North America, of the lower or middle class, will also never become that rich. I like to think we wouldn’t want to anyway.

  • Paul

    Yeah, what he said understandably offended some people…He doesn’t seem to empathize much with those who live with next to nothing and have horrible future prospects.
    On the other hand, he’s getting unjustly bashed a lot simply on the basis that he supports Capitalism. I’ve read up a lot on economics and discovered that the Capitalist system is actually quite beautiful. Most of the criticism people fire at it is the result of several confusions; firstly, economics is often blamed for the failed political policies that are actually responsible, and secondly, the plausibility of the “Zero-Sum Fallacy.”
    This fallacy is the mistaken idea that wealth is all around us and whatever is grabbed by the greedy is consequently unavailable to everyone else, when in fact wealth is created by innovation and labor. (Thomas Sowell has written much on the subject; I strongly recommend his books.) This mistaken view leads many people to think wealth accumulation is “immoral” and viciously attack the rich and even the entire Capitalist system.
    If you truly believe that the “evil” Capitalist system rules your life and oppresses you, try this one thing: scroll down and glance at the comments on this article. For every “evil Capitalist” trying his hardest to present convincing arguments in the defense of the free market, there are fifty others calling him a scumbag and pointing to faraway countries hardly comparable to ours for evidence. The free market advocates are the underdogs here.
    Give the free market the benefit of the doubt; I promise you that Ludwig von Mises’s Human Action contains all the info about you’ll ever want to know.

  • http://wahkeenasitka.com Wahkeena Sitka

    This man is the epitome of selfishness, greed and everything that basically has the entire planet ass-backwards totally fucked up and is going to run the entire planet into the graveyard. on behalf of the 3.5 billion poorest people, you can go fuck yourself asshole!

    and while you’re in hell for the next 10 million lifetimes, you might want to learn some buddhist meditation and learn what the word compassion means.

  • Binx

    To become rich in a capitalism, you need one thing for sure: capital! This is so simple. How poor people, even while fighting hard, could get rich when they don’t have capital? Bill Gates also got some capital from parents and private investors. Private investors do not invest in start-ups created by poor people.

  • Teffie123

    This guy is an embarrassment to Canada. He represents everything that’s wrong with the world today.

    Awful.

  • labman57

    O’Leary is a living, breathing caricature of an avaricious, compassionless, humanity-devoid venture capitalist.

    Alas, all the money in the world cannot buy him a conscience or a soul.

  • theAnti-1-%

    time to kill this bastard…..cut his arms and legs off and see how he feel as being the “1%”

  • http://www.reseauforum.org/ Michaël Lessard

    OMG. He calls that just normal capitalism ! As if it was the end-goal all along. … I’m Canadian, but I’m sure many US brothers and sisters will agree the USA needs our support to get through this insanity, lack of ethics and false democracy.

    • http://www.reseauforum.org/ Michaël Lessard

      Oh wait, that was in Canada. I was convinced this was some kind of Fox News pundit (I’m not kidding).

  • Shane Philips

    I wonder if the woman of Congo or Angola who are beaten, raped and murdered around the mining of Blood Diamonds look up to the richest 85 people for inspiration as Kevin O’Leary of the CBC encourages.

  • DB

    This man makes me want to throw up. This man is DISGUSTING. He is a sociopath. So every one in the world should have to live in HELL and live miserable lives so the 85 richest people can live well, and we can hope to somehow one day become one of the elite 1% or .0001% percent? So the working class should just go kill themselves I guess because they are regulated to miserable lives?

  • Nolan

    Kevin is much poorer than most of those 3.5 billion people; that I can say for sure… Wow

  • Dov LeCoque

    i sort of feel sorry for this guy, hes been brought up in a world where he’s been told he’s smart and gifted and that if he works hard he will achieve. He probably did work quite hard and now people are telling him that he doesnt really deserve it. His ego is hurt and rather than admit that he was ‘spoiled’ he’s trying to justify his position with what is still a very good argument for capitalist economies and free markets. “Dont hate! only the unloved hate. the unloved and the unnatural!” (Charlie Chaplin).However, I don’t feel as sorry for him as i do for the poorest of the world…

  • kendra

    What asshole. I use to enjoy watching him but this comment he took to far. So we can”t call be billionaires, I work my ass off everyday, and I never made a million. When will these rich assholes keep their mouths shut, and stop bullying “poor people”.

  • no name

    #killtherich

  • http://www.reseauforum.org/ Michaël Lessard

    « Let me be clear, I will always celebrate success but never at the expense of the less fortunate ». Yes, yes, I know that is what you meant/think, but many people are trying to get you to grasp something else : you become that extremely rich at the expense of the less fortunate, by definition.

    If I am the owner of the a successful company, as I have the power (50%+1), I can decide to give myself a moderate revenue (instead of millions/billions) and share the rest. The level of injustice is extreme and beyond our imagination, to the point where is some cases it has to be called cruelty (i.e. giving yourself millions while some of your workers are clearly underpaid and in doubtful workings conditions. i.e. Bangladesh for exemple).

  • Stephanie Fahey

    1.) 3.2 billion living in poverty throughout the whole world??? where did they find that statistic???? Please I’m not saying I’m an Einstein but there are over 7 billion people in this world and maybe 5% of that number is making a living good enough to survive so you still have 95% of the 7 billion that are poverty stricken and living of the streets. So probably more than 6.5 billion people in this world are very poor. 2.) If capitalism was so great then how come only the top 1% are truly benefiting??? It’s easy to tell a person to “go get a job” or “go back to school” but what if they are homeless, disabled, sick and can’t help themselves?? Our whole society needs a revolutionizing and it is obsolete.

  • Luis

    Shit for brains this poor human being.

  • Nick

    why don’t you distribute some of your wealth so those poor people can get rich you hoarding son of a bitch. i wonder what ill eat today, Kevin. i wonder if i will be able to find some food today, the poor.

  • Robert

    I thought this was one of those sensationalist upworthy-esqe headlines. Turns out it’s completely accurate….

  • Robert

    His best move would have been to question the statistic. Perhaps that’s what happened at the end of the video?

  • Corey Ronson

    So if your company closed moved to china and now pays someone 1-5th of your wage your suppose to jump into McDonald’s if they even hiring in a market of 15 million people looking for work and be fine …. The delusions of wealth have blinded all … This guy is so rich he could open tons of businesses but he won’t he like many other ( bill gates ) exploit cheap foreign market we need to focus on our own fucking countries we need that money stop spending in china and taking from us

  • Crono

    The real poverty here is the kind of cowardly debate tactics that Mr. O’Leary employs, he insists on the importance of freedom yet he only leaves time for his opinion to be heard. He won’t allow for responses out of fear of the shallow nature of his logic being exposed.

    On the topic, the motivation to become wealthy is only possible if you have the means to get there. Most of those 3.5 billion people have no realistic path to wealth; those who already have money have a chance to get more, those with none have virtually no chance. It’s not a system based solely on merit and hard work, like Mr. O’Leary would have us believe, it’s a system based first on where you start, and, if you’re lucky enough to start up high enough, then you might be able to get somewhere on your own merits.

    Class mobility has gone to hell.

  • John Defalque

    Sign the petition for CBC to fire this lug nut!!! I’ve even asked if he wants to step in the ring with this commie.

  • Really??

    While this man may have his merits in society, he is obviously delusional about what it means to be the poorest of the poor. No clue whatsoever. His “celebration” is done in obvious, complete ignorance and misunderstanding. I score him stupidly uninformed. He needs to hire new research people.

  • FiSH

    The only true vote is made with the dollar, every time you spend you cast a ballot as to what stays and what goes. Our parents made this world, what decisions did you make with your dollar today.

  • Greg Monks

    This loser has lost something far more precious than all of his riches combined…his soul.

  • poverty advocate

    This is the crux of the issue. To those who live in Ivory Towers, what is poverty? Who lives in poverty? What image comes to mind? Many of these elite are so deeply out of touch with the rest of humanity. In my city, 68% of men living in our homeless shelter are employed FULL TIME. The cost of full time childcare is MORE than a full months rent in a one bedroom apartment. Families who are in a middle income bracket (earning between 60K and 90K per year) are the families who are reporting the GREATEST financial strain, and are often those reporting frequent difficulties buying groceries. Why? Those below that income bracket can access subsidization for housing, transit, childcare etc. Those above that bracket can generally afford to live here. It is those in the middle who struggle as they pay the full cost of everything, but with less tax breaks and supports as those above and beneath them… So his comment about “striving” is just plain ignorant. Many of the homeless and poor in my city, have jobs. But when the top 1% see an increase in income 80% over the last 15 years and the bottom 99% see an increase of 5% we have a problem.

  • Kev

    Congratulations on your success, I mean that,,,, but i’m sorry that you have failed so miserably as a human, you are the epitome of disgusting.

  • Jahblessed1

    if i see u somwhere i will fuckin kill u be sure bout that!

  • Stan Marsh

    CBC needs to pull this asshole off the air. I resent the fact that OUR tax dollars are paying him to put that rubbish on.

  • Ron Abarbanel

    One problem with this point of view is that it assumes the world’s poor have access to the opportunity to be wealthy AND ignores the fact that those who are rich are not rich because they work hard only - they live within very expensive infrastructure that basically made them able to get rich. The ignorance of this position is sad and astounding.

  • Robert Chisholm

    Stan Marsh says below, “CBC need to pull this (guy) off the air”. On the contrary, in my view what they should do is invite him to a panel discussion with myself and some other people who have posted here, with Amanda Lang as the host. And he’s got to be told from the start not to interrupt when other people are speaking (and I could do that, if he shows such tendencies) otherwise he’ll make an ass of himself in front of everybody including the Harper government. The objective would be to apprise Kevin O’Leary of some facts about what’s going on around us and get him to comment on solutions to the problems of people - such as the 3.5 billion already referred to - with essentially no resources of their own to support their efforts to get out of poverty. Here in Canada things are bad enough, with something between 70 and 5,000 people competing with you every time you apply for a job. What is his answer to the social prejudices and legalistic obstructionism that confront people out of work in Canada, based on popular disinformation emanating from official sources? How does he support the “poverty trap” problem posed by provincial social assistance programs and legislation - in Ontario, for instance? See my website at http://www.unempgeninfo.com As for the 3.5 billion-plus people living in poverty world-wide, their situation is even worse: what “survival” jobs are even open to them, as a means to generate income while they consider their POSSIBILITIES as aspiring entrepreneurs? Kevin O’Leary needs a “reality check” - BIG TIME. Along with the many others, Ron Abarbanel’s comment below “hits the nail on the head” . Robert T. Chisholm - Associate Member, O.S.P.E.