Self-made tycoon: Why billionaire has become a dirty word

Self-made tycoon John Paul DeJoria can’t believe that “billionaire” has been turned into a dirty word. But are Democrats, who are targeting America’s wealthiest with higher taxes, really to blame?

“It blows me away -- it’s not Democrats,” DeJoria told FOX Business on Maria Bartiromo’s "Wall Street" on Friday, “It’s other people out there.” 

DeJoria, who founded high-end tequila company Patron Spirits and co-founded hair company John Paul Mitchell Systems, has a net worth of $2.6 billion, according to Forbes, and said jealously could be liable.

“Maybe it’s because they weren’t able to achieve the American dream and become a billionaire,” he said. “I mean over a million is past the American dream.  They think well they had to do something illegal to do that.  Maybe they stole from somebody they don’t know.”

But he is also placing fault on the small screen.

“A lot of things on television don’t show the good billionaires.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX BUSINESS APP

Amazon chief Jeff Bezos, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Berkshire Hathaway’s Warren Buffett topped Forbes billionaire list in 2018.

Catch the full interview with John Paul DeJoria on Friday at 8 p.m. ET.