Tensions Rise as Mark Cuban Explodes on ‘Shark Tank’ Contestant Over Deceptive Weight Loss Product

Shark investor Mark Cuban couldn’t hold his skepticism back as entrepreneurs Barrett Jacques and Crom Carmichael confidently pitched their product on “Shark Tank” during season 11, episode 1, promising America they could “have their cake and eat it too” with a miraculous weight-loss product.

The billionaire investor’s famous poker face quickly dissolved into unmistakable outrage as the Nashville businessmen unveiled MinusCal, a snack bar and pills allegedly designed to block fat absorption. Little did viewers of the 2019 episode know they were about to witness one of the most entertaining showdowns in the show’s history, with Cuban’s mounting frustration destined to collide with Carmichael’s unwavering conviction.

Cuban’s frustration became evident as Carmichael and his business partner Barrett Jacques pitched their product, a “science-based snack bar and diet tablet,” claiming to block fat absorption. The entrepreneurs requested $500,000 for 20 percent equity in their company, a valuation that immediately raised eyebrows among the panel of investors.

“You can’t claim that it’s going to reduce 100 calories out of what you eat by taking two pills,” Cuban challenged, his voice rising as Carmichael attempted to explain their product.

When Barrett insisted they weren’t making such claims, Cuban pointed to their branding: “When a consumer looks at it, what do you think he’s gonna think? Minus Cal.”

The atmosphere in the tank deteriorated rapidly when Cuban dismissed the entire pitch, calling it “air,” implying that the product had no substance or scientific merit.

Carmichael turned red before erupting, “Mark, it’s not air! I have the data to back it up. So if… listen, if you wanna get out, get out, but… but you’re wrong.”

“No, I’m not,” Cuban fired back.

“You are wrong,” Carmichael insisted, his frustration mounting as fellow Sharks attempted to interject with their own questions.

The entrepreneurs described their product using vivid metaphors of a man bodyslamming another man. Barrett explained, “So imagine your digestive tract is a party, and our ingredient, the Choleve, is the bouncer. When the fat shows up at the party without an invitation, Choleve sends it out of your system.”

Choleve, they claimed, was “a proprietary all-natural blend coming from fermented tea” that allegedly blocked fat absorption and helped lower cholesterol by “17 to 20 percent.”

Cuban remained unmoved by these claims.

“You took a green tea extract,” he stated bluntly.

“No, it’s not green tea extract,” Carmichael shot back. “I said it’s derived from green tea. We take a particular molecule. We increase that concentration by 20 times.”

“Because that green tea molecule can lower your cholesterol by… by 20%. Everybody knows that,” Cuban countered, clearly skeptical of the product’s uniqueness.

Guest Shark Daniel Lubetzky questioned the safety claims, asking, “Is there anybody that should avoid this product? Is it safe for everybody?”

“Safe for everybody. It’s all-natural,” Carmichael responded confidently.

Cuban immediately challenged this assertion, “That doesn’t mean it is safe for everybody.”

One by one, the Sharks declined to invest.

When Robert Herjavec expressed confusion about what he would be investing in, Carmichael defensively stated they never claimed the product would help with weight loss, but simply “removes calories from the body.”

This backtracking prompted Herjavec to stand up and point to their display sign that explicitly stated, “Lose weight,” contradicting their revised stance during questioning.

“The strategy is to make you think that this is going to reduce your calories,” Cuban declared, labeling the marketing approach misleading.

No shark took a bite, and the pair was sent packing.

After the contentious exchange on the show, MinusCal faced a difficult path forward. According to Shark Tank Recap, the company ceased operations entirely by 2020 and ended its social media presence even earlier in 2019.

The product that promised consumers they could “have your cake and eat it too,” ultimately failed to deliver at the market.

The confrontation remains one of the more contentious moments in “Shark Tank” history. It showcases how the high-stakes environment can expose tensions between entrepreneurs’ claims and investors’ demand for scientific integrity.

For Cuban, the showdown represented more than just a business decision – it was about protecting consumers from what he perceived as deceptive marketing in the already problematic weight loss industry.