Good Bad Billionaire

Simon Jack and Zing Tsjeng find out how the richest people on the planet made their billions, and then they judge them. Are they good, bad, or just another billionaire?

Good Bad Billionaire is here to lift the curtain on the minds, motives and money of some of the world's wealthiest individuals. Hosted by Simon Jack, Business Editor for BBC News, and journalist, author and podcaster Zing Tsjeng, this ground-breaking new series examines the rise of a different billionaire each week to answer the question: Are they good, bad, or just another billionaire?

From Silicon Valley tech titans and secretive CEOS, to Wall Street moguls, pop stars and sporting legends, Simon and Zing will find out how these billionaires made their riches - from the very start to the very top. No detail is too small, no story too wild and no business deal too shady for them to uncover. How did Amazon boss Jeff Bezos launch one of the biggest corporations of the internet age? How did six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan make a fortune from product endorsements with sports giant Nike? How did Rihanna come to sign with Jay-Z and to found a beauty product empire? And how did Chuck Feeney earn the title of 'the James Bond of philanthropy'?

With episodes examining Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, George Lucas and Kim Kardashian, these stories paint a vivid picture of business, entrepreneurship, capitalism and how our world really works.

But it's not just about how these billionaires made their money; it's about what they did with it next. Simon and Zing put each on trial to find out: is this billionaire a force for good or an agent of chaos? Or perhaps somewhere in between.... Join our hosts each week as they unravel tales of fortune, power, ambition and moral responsibility, and invite you to weigh in on the verdict: Good, Bad, or Just Another Billionaire?

Recent Episodes
Episodes loading...
Recent Reviews
  • Fergie V.
    Great Show But…
    Great show, compelling content and novel approach to telling the story of billionnaires. So much learnt fekm this show. Simon Jack is a pretty good, entertaining and competent presenter, hitting all the right notes. Just can’t stand the Chinese Asian presenter Zing, trying too hard to be a native westerner with accent and slang affectations. The only part of this show i dislike.
  • capitlists
    Season 3 PLEASE!
    This is my fav podcast. I love the premise and execution. You two are very articulate and intelligent. I enjoy listening and and learning every time. I hope there is a new season? There must be some more billionaires to scrutinize. Thanks
  • StinaMasFina
    Hand Over Mouth
    Why does Simon Jack put his hand over his mouth while talking into the microphone all the time? Almost every single show there’s a sentence or two where Simon is obviously talking with his hand over his mouth and I have no idea why. Like at first I think, well, maybe he just yawned and his hand is still covering his mouth when he started talking but he keeps it there and then I’m confused! What is he doing? It’s so irritating! I mean, other that, I thought I was ok until they mentioned the Koch brothers were Libertarians and now I’m questioning all my life choices!!! So… educational I guess. Thank you??? Seriously though. Entertaining podcast. I like it.
  • KRCarraway
    Interesting idea that needs better research
    It's an interesting idea for a podcast, but the subject research is surface level at best. These almost exclusively right-wing billionaires seem to get a free pass because the research and context of how they made their money is just not looked into very deeply. There's almost nothing on the ramifications of what these billionaires do to society.
  • sknytl
    Spoiler Alerts!
    ***THIS SHOW HAS NO SPOILER ALERTS!!!**** I’m enjoying the show, aside from the big foul during the Murdoch episode in which you ruined a huge plot twist in the Succession Series.
  • jem922
    So Well Done!
    I’m enjoying this podcast so much! The subject matter is fascinating! If you want to learn more about the very richest people on the planet and how they got there, this is the listen for you. The hosts are so professional and they never waste time with boring personal chitchat as so many podcasts tend to do. They get right into their subject and present the information in a riveting and entertaining style that keeps me glued start to finish. They adhere to the same format for each podcast. A brief biography is presented, you learn how each person achieves her or his first million dollars, and then how they leap forward to billionaire status. The hosts then have certain criteria by which they judge each subject and eventually declare them either a good or a bad billionaire. Each host brings a different perspective, so hearing them discuss their ratings for each billionaire per category is fun and you’ll find yourself weighing in with your own views, too. Some billionaires are people we’re familiar with from the news, TV, etc, and some I learned about for the first time. It’s just fascinating to see which forces converge in an ordinary person’s life to help make them become extraordinary. I can’t praise these two hosts highly enough! They keep the information in each episode fresh and enjoyable and moving forward, and together they present a very complete picture of these fabulously wealthy people. If you’re even a bit curious about the billionaires’ paths of success please give this podcast a listen. Good Bad Billionaire. You won’t be disappointed, I promise!
  • Geronia
    Fascinating
    I find these stories fascinating Love every single one of them. I do not always agree with your grade but I still like to hear your reasoning. I’ve been looking forward to this season which I am binging now as I was traveling and I couldn’t.
  • BBCShowLover
    Zing should be removed as a host: lack of a nuanced and broad understanding of the world
    Simon Jack is very nuanced and great at hosting a show and even directing Zing’s trite comments to something more meaningful in interpreting Zing’s comments. Zing should not be on this show or any shows. Her lack of understanding of the world really comes through. Simon Jack is great, full of nuance and communicates with poise and class. Zing makes this show unbearable to listen to. Just a plainly bad communicator! Simon Jack hosting solo this show would be a five star. Zing one star or zero star.
  • Peter Guillam
    “Any idiot…
    …can make a billion dollars. But to make a billion people unknowingly suffer as you profit beyond their pathetic imaginations exemplifies true power and greatness.” Chuck Koch
  • jryutzy
    Interesting
    Real interesting but as a general rule if the person is perceived as associated with political right then they judge them as bad and if associated with political left they are judged to be good. Actually I can’t think of a single episode that doesn’t follow that formula. Listen for the information but not the ratings!
  • kvobrien
    Fascinating and fun
    I love this podcast! I always learn something - not just about the people, but also how various economic systems work. This is a top podcast for me and I recommend it all the time. Can’t wait for a Judith Faulkner episode. Keep it going!
  • Mandyblah
    Interesting and lighthearted
    I really like the format of this podcast and the hosts are quite likable. Most of my subscribed podcasts are hosted by Americans so I really like the UK perspective. Sometimes I giggle at the way America is presented and discussed. Especially the health industry one. I find the ratings fun and a lighthearted end to the show.
  • Justabanana 13457643
    Amazing
    This podcast is incredible! Simon and Tsing do an amazing job with this podcast. I listen to it every single week when a new episode comes out! I would like for there to be an episode with the leaders of Hamas and what the current events of their actions are causing.
  • 0983733lool
    Interesting
    Really interesting, but the ratings tend to be biased on whether they like the person or not.
  • Agdjuuhgnkli!?,.&@$(;:
    Awesome!
    I love this podcast! It’s interesting and informative. Think the hosts do a terrific job covering the material and offer very interesting insights. Will keep listening!!
  • Original_Owl
    Be Current
    Please do an episode on the billionaire leaders of Hamas
  • Dane in NYC
    Disappointed
    I was so excited to discover this podcast. But after the first episode I’m beyond baffled. I guess I expected journalism not pop culture banter. Opera has done so profound damage especially to United States and US culture and this type of podcast/talk just continues to support that. Super problematic! She has created and endorsed the most awful humans including mass rapist shamans and how about Dr Oz?! I don’t even know where to begin when it comes to Weight Watchers!! And she always doubles or even triples down - even when her gusts turns out to be mass rapists. She’s impressive, worked hard and very talented - has done some good for certain but nothing compared to all the bad. My I suggested to a start, listening to Maintenance Phase and their podcast about Oprah.
  • MSB1129
    Interesting
    Interesting info! It sounds like Simon periodically covers/wipes his mouth while on mic. Super distracting.
  • rissyriss123456789
    Easy listen
    I enjoy listening to this when I’m having my morning coffee or cooking lunch. The hosts do good research and they’re easy to listen to. The really low ratings are odd.
  • eltoddro
    “Judge Them”
    Exactly what gives you the wherewithal to be “judging” people?
  • Mckennak0
    Give it a shot!
    I think this a great listen - it seems like the less than positive reviews are based on people’s opinions than the podcast itself. It’s funny, entertaining, informative and I judging gives it a playful edge. Definitely give it a listen!
  • communitynewspodcast
    Educational
    Just listened to the Bezos episode. Interesting. I'll definitely listen to more of these. So far the only podcast I enjoy is a comedy "Community News by Paul and Sasha", but I'm going to be giving this one more listens. Very informative to hear about their whole life and career story.
  • Bhuddakind
    Doesn’t finish the job
    Was excited to listen. The first half did a decent enough job detailing the rise to Billionaire status but the judgement part is a joke. They gave Jeff Bezos a 10 for “sinister” or something like that based solely on the fact that he’s invested in space travel and looks like mini me. Good grief 🤦🏾‍♂️
  • person who hates wordle
    Where’s Elon Musk???!!!?!?!?!
    Elon Musk Is the richest person on earth so it just doesn’t make sense not to put him
  • BlueBottleGirl
    This Is Great!
    I always wondered how billionaires got to where they are, how much their wealth affects society as a whole and if they felt inclined to put it to good works, or hoard it. The narrators have done their homework and I enjoy their engagement with each other. This is an interesting podcast to add to my library. Looking forward to future episodes.
  • Rev. R. McGlinchy
    Bad
    You can’t be a billionaire without exploiting people. Thus, all billionaires are bad.
Similar Podcasts
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork on this page are property of the podcast owner, and not endorsed by UP.audio.