Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary Gets Emotional Recalling How Mark Cuban 'Saved My A--' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Kevin O’Leary’s years-long friendship withMark Cubancan bring tears to his eyes.

In PEOPLE’s exclusive first look at theShark Tankinvestor’s appearance onWho’s Talking to Chris Wallace?, O’Leary gets emotional as he reflects on how his costar and friend has never failed to showed up for him.

Kevin O’Leary.MAX

MAX

“I was leading in the polls, dramatically, until I hit Quebec,” O’Leary recalls. “I’m dyslexic, I’ll never learn French. And it also leads to a story about Mark Cuban that is very important when people pit us against each other, a lot.”

“I was $2 million in the hole, and I wanted to write the check and just clear the books, and the government said, ‘No, you can’t do that. You’re going to be subject to the laws of the land,'” O’Leary recalls. “So I called up Mark. I said, ‘Mark, I’m in trouble here. I need to hold an event where I can sell a lot of tickets to a lot of people who are going to attend, and I need you to fly up here and be beside me on the stage.'”

Kevin O’Leary (left) and Mark Cuban.GP Images/Getty

GP Images/Getty

According to O’Leary, Cuban “didn’t even blink” and “was on the plane the next day.”

“He never even questioned it. He said, ‘Where do I have to be? I’ll be there,'” he continues, before requesting a moment as he gets emotional.

After taking a breath and a sip of water, O’Leary adds, “Anyways, I owe him a lot for that. He saved my ass.”

The ‘Shark Tank’ cast (from left): Daymond John, Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Kevin O’Leary, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec.Christopher Willard/ABC via Getty

Christopher Willard/ABC via Getty

Season 16, which premieres on Friday, Oct. 18, will also feature Daniel Lubetzky as one of the sharks. The new season alsomarks Cuban’s last as a shark.

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New episodes ofWho’s Talking to Chris Wallace?stream Fridays on Max.

source: people.com