Dragons Den Makes Brilliant Move

Dragons’ Den Makes Brilliant Move by Roxanne McDonald

It started in the UK, with the ultra-entertaining “Dragon’s Den”…and relocated to the states for even more exposure, as “American Inventor”.

And worthy of the exposure it is: “American Inventor” rocks almost as much as “Dragon’s Den”—which we were only made privy to in bits and starts…on Fox Reality TV in marathon-format one weekend way back when.

The format is almost the same: from the den where five dragons—Rachel Elnaugh, Peter Jones, Duncan Bannatyne, Simon Woodruff, and Doug Richard (or in other episodes, Theo Paphitis, Richard Farleigh, and/or Deborah Meaden)

—reigned entrepreneurial over the fate of presenters hoping to get their inventions financed to a splashy and classy Hollywood set with this daunting over-polished runway to the Dragons table—where Peter Jones is joined by judges Sara Blakely, Pat Croce, and George Foreman—inventors present themselves and their inventions for consideration.

But unlike where in “Dragon’s Den” the judges were the investors wielding stacks of pounds for hand-out right there on set, “American Inventor” judges vote the auditioning inventors 1st to the semi-finals and 2nd out the door or

through to the finals…where only one will be winner and will claim a million-dollar prize in addition to entrepreneurial support, counsel, and resource access.

We at home get to witness the pitch, see the product, and watch the people who are either articulate, endearing, or asinine….

Of course the latter makes for the best TV in most cases, so when the guy who invents a game that is a Scrabble rip-off gets more ornery than polite, we are more engaged. But we are also entertained and moved, even, when the fire fighter with a life-saving Christmas tree device or the friend with flood protection implementation speak to the panel with the conviction of saints.

BBC’s appointed economics editor Evan Davis hosted “Dragon’s Den,” narrating and conducting the exit interviews. “American Inventor”’s Nick Smith now does the same.

And guess who foots part of the production bill? Yep, the mogul, the maven, the man with the clicking British dragon tongue: Simon Cowell.

All this is likely old news to you fans of either the UK or USA versions, but I just thought I’d express my joy that “Dragon’s Den” was not just a delightful tease….

Now if they could see it smart to shift the scheduling so that “American Inventor” doesn’t air at the same damned time as “Last Comic Standing” AND “So You Think You Can Dance?”…. ARGHGrumble Grumble

SirLinksAlot American Inventor links

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