Good Bad Billionaire Podcast
How did the richest people on the planet make their billions? Make up your minds whether you think they are good, bad or just another billionaire.
How did the richest people on the planet make their billions? Find out with the Good Bad Billionaire podcast - now with a chance for you to have your say. Make up your minds whether you think they are good, bad or just another billionaire.
In each episode of Good Bad Billionaire, ѿý Business Editor Simon Jack and journalist and author Zing Tsjeng analyse the lives of the super-rich, and try to understand what motivates billionaires like Kim Kardashian and Oprah Winfrey.
From acting-giant turned politician Arnold Schwarzenegger, to Spanx-founder Sara Blakely, Simon and Zing rate their wealth, power, philanthropy and associated controversies, before asking you whether they are good, bad, or just another billionaire.
Get in touch by email and let us know what you think! The contact details are at the end of these show notes.
Ever wondered how Taylor Swift went from country singer to money-spinner? How Amazon boss Jeff Bezos came to launch one of the biggest corporations of the internet age? And how six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan made his fortune with Nike? Trawl through the archives to find out how Selena Gomez went from a child Disney star to a mega-magnate of makeup, and how Martha Stewart, the “original lifestyle influencer”, became one of the most successful women in business.
We explore the life of British inventor Sir James Dyson, and learn about some of the big names behind Snapchat, Minecraft, Marvel, ChatGPT, Google and Alibaba, which shape the world we live in today.
In a special season, we have also told the stories of the pioneers who helped build the United States of America: the world’s first billionaire John D Rockefeller, motor magnate Henry Ford, the aviator and filmmaker Howard Hughes, Walmart founder Sam Walton, and Hetty Green - once dubbed “The Witch of Wall Street”.
It's not just how billionaires made their money; it's what they did with it next.
So, what do you think? Make up your own mind. Are they good, bad, or just another billionaire? Let us know your thoughts, and we may include your comments and suggestions in a future episode. If you do not wish for your comments, first name or location of comment to be read out, please say that in your email or message, or mark it confidential.
Email goodbadbillionaire@bbc.com or drop us a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176.
To find out more about the show and read our privacy notice, visit www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire
Episodes to download
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            Patrick Soon-Shiong: Cures for cash
Tue 5 Dec 2023
Why was biotech billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong sued by his brother... and Cher?
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            Bill Gates: Software hardman
Tue 28 Nov 2023
Bill Gates was the richest person in the world for more than a decade
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            Sam Bankman-Fried with Michael Lewis
Tue 21 Nov 2023
The spectacular rise and fall of the FTX crypto empire, with special guest Michael Lewis.
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            Denise Coates: Ultimate gambler
Tue 14 Nov 2023
How Bet 365 boss Denise Coates gambled it all to become the world's highest paid woman
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            Michael Jordan: Most valuable player
Tue 7 Nov 2023
How basketball superstar Michael Jordan became the world's first billionaire athlete
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            Kim Kardashian: Breaking the internet
Tue 31 Oct 2023
From leaked sex tape to business mogul, how Kim Kardashian leveraged fame for money
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            Bernard Arnault: The wolf in cashmere
Tue 24 Oct 2023
French entrepreneur Bernard Arnault vies with Elon Musk to be the world's richest person
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            Viktor Bout: Merchant of death
Tue 17 Oct 2023
How Viktor Bout made billions selling weapons to just about anyone who wanted them
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            George Lucas: Box office billions
Tue 10 Oct 2023
How George Lucas became a billionaire filmmaker, despite directing just six movies
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            Oprah Winfrey: Queen of all media
Tue 3 Oct 2023
How Oprah became the richest African American of the 20th Century, and queen of all media
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            Chuck Feeney: All duty
Tue 26 Sep 2023
How Chuck Feeney built an empire selling duty free, then gave it all away to charity
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            Adam Neumann: The cult of WeWork
Tue 19 Sep 2023
How Adam Neumann oversaw one of the most spectacular business fails in modern history
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            Sir Philip Green: King of the high street
Tue 12 Sep 2023
How Sir Philip Green ruled over a retail empire, before it all came crashing down
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            Rihanna: Turning beauty into billions
Tue 5 Sep 2023
How pop star Rihanna became the richest-ever person from Barbados
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            Jeff Bezos: Get big fast
Tue 29 Aug 2023
How did Amazon boss Jeff Bezos become the first person worth over $100 billion?
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            Introducing... Good Bad Billionaire
Mon 21 Aug 2023
Find out how billionaires got so rich: are they good, bad, or just a billionaire?