Shark Tank has occasionally changed up its lineup of panelists over the years. Mostly these have been entrepreneurs in various industries, and now the show has added a big celebrity for Season 7. Reports on Monday indicate that actor Ashton Kutcher will try his hand in the tank, joining ABC’s popular unscripted series as a “guest shark.”
While Kutcher is most famous for his acting career, having starred in big box office flicks like No Strings Attached and Annie, as well as the popular TV comedies That ‘70s Show and Two and a Half Men, he’s not exactly a layabout in his spare time. He’s actually an investor in a slew of Internet-based spaces, including Skype, Foursquaire, Airbnb, and Fab.com, not to mention Virgin Galactic’s private space program. Plus, Ashton Kutcher has even done a “mock” Shark Tank panel at Colgate University. So, unlike many people in the acting space, he’s uniquely suited to the Shark Tank experience.
TV Line first reported the news, noting that Kutcher will make a guest appearance during Season 7 and has already taped the episode, which seems to indicate he will only pop up once after the show returns this fall. However, if he is a good fit within the Shark Tank panel, there’s a good chance he could be invited back as a fill-in during Season 7 and beyond. Mark Cuban and Lori Greiner, for instance, both started out as guests on the series before joining the main cast. Then again, people like Jeff Foxworthy and Steve Tisch have simply done guest stints on the show and never emerged as larger players.
Shark Tank was one of a slew of programs renewed by ABC, which was pretty good news for fans, considering there were a few quirks with negotiations on the series this season. ABC has plans to continue airing the hit show, which follows entrepreneurs showcasing their product and business model in the attempt to lure in one or more of the “sharks” as investors in a product, on Friday evenings this fall. In addition, Shark Tank will also be joined by its companion series Beyond the Tank sometime during the 2015-2016 TV season.
We already know that Shark Tank is going to hit the schedule on Friday, September 25. While we wait for fall programming, here is what ABC has coming up this summer. Here's to hoping next season is filled with tons of interesting products and pitches, as well as more than its share of monetary and philosophical arguments between the judges. There's nothing on the show more interesting than when a few of the sharks see a potential business in a completely different way.
