Richard Branson, billionaire, mogul and action-seeking daredevil, is completely insane - but in the best way possible. Somewhere, in the midst of watching stunts like a tea party on the top of a hot air balloon sailing 10,000 feet in the air, or passing a baton while standing on the wings of a plane as it flies upside down over the English countryside, the realization dawns that this isn't just another reality rip-off of a certain popular Trump franchise. In fact, Branson's "The Rebel Billionaire" makes "The Apprentice" look, well, second-rate.
"The Rebel Billionaire: Branson's Quest for the Best" has a ridiculously long and overblown title, but that is one of the only problems this show has. "Billionaire" cashes in on the recent slew of reality programming by combining concepts from two of the most popular shows on television.
Branson keeps the enticement of a well-paying job that was introduced by "The Apprentice" but ditches the boring boardroom style for the globe-hopping, daring physical challenges of CBS's "The Amazing Race." The successful combination means that the sixteen contestants get the opportunity to compete in various challenges around the world for a million dollars, plus Branson's job as president of the Virgin Empire.
The first reaction is, is Branson crazy? He's going to hand over the presidency of his entire billion dollar empire to someone with little to no experience, and, most disturbingly, someone who wants to be on reality television? But taking big risks is what Branson has apparently based his career on, and it's worked in his favor thus far.
Branson has built an entire empire on the motto "Business should be fun." Virgin started as a record store and then
morphed into a record label, representing huge stars like The Rolling Stones and Janet Jackson. Thorn EMI bought the equity of Virgin Music Group in a billion-dollar deal in 1992, but Branson's territory has expanded beyond the realm of song; he also runs Virgin Atlantic Airways and owns two renovated British rail networks, as well as heading up clubs, travel agencies, hotels, cinemas, book and software publishing companies and various other services through Virgin Group.
So what does a billionaire mogul do for kicks? Crazy stunts like the ones he expects the contestants to perform on his show. In 1991 he flew 6,700 miles from Japan to Arctic Canada in a hot air balloon at a record 245 miles an hour.
The stunts that Branson has planned for the "Billionaire" contestants are so dramatic that one of the women dropped out even before attempting one. Jennifer, a 24-year-old radio account executive, gave up her spot on the show because she "would not put [her] life in jeopardy." Then again, she and the other contestants do not know what they are competing for; Branson has yet to reveal that they are fighting it out not only for a million dollars, but also his billion-dollar title.
The most fun contestants to watch are the ones who are willing to overcome their fears, like Sara, the 33-year-old founder and CEO of Spanx, Inc., a women's apparel company that offers footless pantyhose. Sara is horrifically afraid of heights and watching her climb 150 feet up a ladder hanging on the side of a hot air balloon is truly inspiring. Thirty-year-old Candida of Orange County, Calif. is also one to watch: her outgoing, abrasive personality has the makings of the next Omarosa.
"Billionaire" possibly works so well because Branson is the anti-Trump - he's going to get down and dirty in the challenges and will not miss out on any of the fun by standing stiffly on the sideline. He actually does the stunts along with the contestants, and his challenges are meaningful, getting the team to bond and learn how to act under true pressure. Most importantly, he gives them good advice when they fail instead of ripping them to shreds in order to satisfy his own ego.
Tonight, the contestants are traveling to Africa to compete in some more daring challenges, one of which involves going over Victoria Falls (which is three times higher than Niagara Falls) in a barrel. Branson will be joining them, of course, as they tumble over the edge - and he'll surely be having a blast the whole way down.
