Swimming with Sharks

Dallas' most famous shoe entrepreneur jumps into Shark Tank as newest judge

Blake Mycoskie is heading back to TV.

Photo courtesy of TOMS

The year 2020 may be the stuff of nightmares, but it's not stopping one Dallas-native entrepreneur from swimming with sharks. TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie will be the newest guest judge on the ABC smash-hit Shark Tank, the network says.

Mycoskie, along with Austin jewelry maven Kendra Scott, will join sharks Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John, and Kevin O’Leary in various episodes during the 2020-21 season, according to a release. Since the series is still filming and editing, it's unclear yet exactly which episodes Mycoskie and Scott will appear in, a rep adds.

Mycoskie — who was (technically) born in Arlington and attended SMU before dropping out to start his first business — is a serial entrepreneur, philanthropist, and bestselling author most known for founding TOMS Shoes, the innovative company that shot to success by giving a pair of shoes to a needy child for every pair sold. To date, TOMS Shoes has provided almost 96 million pairs of shoes to children around the globe.

In 2014, after selling half of the company to Bain Capital, Mycoskie stepped down as CEO of TOMS and used half his proceeds to start the Social Entrepreneurship Fund, which helps early startups with core social missions get off the ground. Since then, he has invested in more than 25 social enterprises. His newest company, Madefor, "helps people learn and sustain positive habits and practices that have the greatest impact on their lives," the release says.

It's not Mycokie's first foray into reality TV. In 2001, he and his sister, Paige Mycoskie, competed in the second season of The Amazing Race and finished in third place. He now lives with his family in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Scott will be the only female guest judge on Shark Tank's next season, the release notes. 2020 has been a banner year for her. Earlier this month, the Austin-based entrepreneur was added to the faculty of the University of Texas at Austin — the same university that launched the Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (WEL) Institute last semester.

All the while, she's continued to grow her billion-dollar jewelry company, Kendra Scott, and continued on with the philanthropic arm of her business. It appears nothing, not even a pandemic, can slow her down.

"According to a 2018 PitchBook study, Scott is among only 16 women in the United States to carry the title of founder of a company valued at $1 billion," notes the release. "Today, Scott’s company continues to operate out of Austin, Texas, with their state-of-the-art corporate office complete with a design lab and an industry-leading distribution center, both catering to her employees’ career goals and family-life balance."

For viewers who haven't yet dipped their toe in the show's waters, a quick primer: Shark Tank is an Emmy Award-winning reality show where real-life millionaires and billionaires invest in startup businesses and products. Guests come on, pitch their idea, and the sharks can choose whether or not to invest. Among the show's most successful products have been the Squatty Potty, a contraption that helps with bowel movements, and Scrub Daddy, the reusable sponge.

For season 12, which is shooting in Las Vegas, Mycoskie, Scott, and crew will hear pitches from a whole new batch of entrepreneurs. The new season of Shark Tank premieres Friday, October 16. After airing on ABC, new episodes will be added to Hulu the following day.

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Movie Review

Revived Coyote vs. Acme shows Looney Tunes’ enduring appeal

Photo courtesy of Ketchup Entertainment

Wile E. Coyote in Coyote vs. Acme.

No movie studio has gone through more ups and downs in the past few years than Warner Bros. In 2022, they oddly shelved two mostly-completed movies, Batgirl and Scoob! Holiday Haunt. But the next few years brought major movies like Barbie, Dune Part Two, Sinners, Superman, Weapons, and One Battle After Another, giving them a huge boost. Strangely, that led directly into a proposed sale to Paramount that is now going through legal battles.

Another previously-shelved Warner Bros. movie, Coyote vs. Acme, is now seeing the light of day thanks to a deal with a small company called Ketchup Entertainment. Taking its cue from the classic Looney Tunes cartoons, the film creates a world in which Wile E. Coyote - sick of constantly being thwarted in his pursuit of Road Runner by faulty Acme products - decides to sue the company.

To do so, he approaches the law firm of Avery, Jones & Maltese, led by Kevin Avery (Will Forte). The firm typically takes on small cases that are easy to settle, but - with a little subterfuge from Wile E. Coyote - they are soon presenting Acme and its lead attorney, Buddy Crane (John Cena), with a lawsuit that could be worth millions of dollars. Naturally, the big corporation won’t give in without a fight, leading to all sorts of shenanigans on both sides.

Directed by Dave Green and written by Samy Burch from a story by Burch, James Gunn, and Jeremy Slater, the film is a fun mixture of nostalgia and clever storytelling. Most of Looney Tunes’ classic characters make an appearance in the film, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, and Sylvester. The two, other than Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner, who get the most play are Tweety, who appears in some of the movie’s funniest scenes, and Foghorn Leghorn, reimagined as the CEO of Acme.

The blend of live action and animation is not quite on the level of something like Who Framed Roger Rabbit, but it is still effective. It also affords the film plenty of opportunities to employ Looney Tunes’ signature brand of cartoon violence that doesn’t actually leave lasting damage. The gags are very familiar for those who grew up on the studio’s short films, but combined with the inventive ways in which they’re used and the pointed jabs at corporate culture, they become somewhat fresh again.

Naturally, there are plenty of references in the film, starting with the name of the law firm, which pays homage to legendary directors Chuck Avery and Chuck Jones, as well as writer/animator Michael Maltese. Sly jokes that could turn the film from PG to PG-13 sneak their way in, although they steer clear of elements that haven’t aged well (documented in a recent viral comedy clip). But the film is at its best when it leans into the well-earned traits of its favorite characters and just lets them cook.

Forte is a great scene partner for Wile E. Coyote, as he can turn even minor slights into comedy gold. His deadpan reactions are the ideal way to counter the insanity going on around him. Cena has proven in other films that he has great comic timing, and he demonstrates that skill well here, too, especially in a fantastic scene opposite Tweety. The voice talent does a good job with the iconic characters, although the legendary Mel Blanc remains the gold standard.

Coyote vs. Acme is not a world-changing movie by any means, but it is a fun twist on the characters many know and love that deserved to be seen by moviegoers. Wile E. Coyote may never actually catch Road Runner, but this movie shows that his unceasing attempts remain entertaining after all these years.

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Coyote vs. Acme is now playing in theaters.

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