Biker makes a ‘Fortune’
JOHN Paul DeJoria. Once in a motorcycle gang, homeless, living in a car. Now billionaire with a “B,” he co-owns Paul Mitchell hair products, plus Patrón, the world’s A-1 tequila. Called J.P., he’s the subject of the film “Good Fortune”:
“In LA, age 6, I had one 10-cent piece. My mother and brother, we passed a Salvation Army man. She said, ‘Give him your dime.’ But we had no food. She said these people care for others. They have nothing. Give him the dime. I did.”
About Clooney unloading his Casamigos tequila brand for a billion dollars: “He sold 120,000 cases annually. Patrón sells 3 million. Buying ours, a major spirit company takes a loan or individual investors get together. I’ve had it 28 years.
“Listen, nothing came easy. I sold door-to-door. I partnered with wrong guys. I sold phones and failed. My life was so down, I was lower than an ant walking.”
Philanthropic J.P. now helps schools, children, invalids, elderly — and the US.
“America’s the world’s greatest country. America works. But you must be prepared for rejection, the ability to not go down. I was bankrupt, fired by companies, I was in Hells Angels. But . . .I believed in God. I believe in a universal force. I believe the world will be better, not worse. And believe in America.”
“Good Fortune” is narrated by Dan Aykroyd, who told me: “J.P. and I brought Patrón up to Canada. We met when he helped me out with my House of Blues. Now everywhere, Blues has 4,000 employees, but when we had trouble he bailed us out.
“I also own Crystal Head Vodka with three partners. We’re all over Europe. Testing 400 liquids, the Russian government awarded us ‘excellent.’
“Look, I’m in business. Entertainers sell services in what’s called ‘show business.’ Any artist just into the word ‘show’ — their advisers will rob them. A second word’s ‘business.’ People like us make deals with agents, manage capital, pay taxes. We’re in business.” I