Nasty VCs on TV? It's a Brit Hit

The TV judges are ruthless as ever. "Never seen anything quite so completely ridiculous," snarls one. Another drops any pretense of civility. "I don't like you," she tells the hair-gelled losing contestant, who spits back vitriol and musters a euphemistic "Thanks for the feedback."

The latest American Idol? Wrong! Dragons' Den is a program about money for sale. Five wealthy venture capitalists take pitches from hungry entrepreneurs, who try to persuade the moneybags to invest in businesses ranging from fashion to toys to furniture. The VCs finger stacks of money like countinghouse kings while they grill the hopefuls, causing more squirm and...

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