MEAWW.COM / ENTERTAINMENT / REALITY TV

Shark Tank's Barbara Corcoran had no idea who Mark Cuban was when they first met: "I asked him to..."

Barbara Corcoran initially mistook fellow 'Shark Tank' judge Mark Cuban for a 'bellboy', and the story only gets better from there

ABC's 'Shark Tank' has its fair share of ups and downs, but the friendship and chemistry between the judges have always been the focal point of discussion. 'Shark Tank' judge Barbara Corcoran is known for her eccentric personality, which is often on full display during the business reality TV show. However, the real estate mogul, who has been associated with the 'Shark Tank' from the beginning, once shared a quirky throwback story about her first impression of fellow Shark Mark Cuban.

Corcoran, who has a very active presence on social media, occasionally shares stories from her real estate career and her 14 seasons on 'Shark Tank', as reported by Business Insider. While getting ready for her March 2023 TV appearance, Corcoran recalled a particularly embarrassing moment from the show in one of her latest anecdotes. Corcoran spilled the beans on her funny first meeting with fellow Shark and billionaire Cuban. 

The businesswoman shared in the TikTok video that upon her first meeting with Cuban, she mistakenly deduced that he was part of the staff. Corcoran said, "I had three big pieces of luggage, so I decided to ask him, 'Hey, do you mind helping me put my luggage in the back of the van?'" To which Cuban softly replied, "Yes, ma'am." Upon arriving at the location, Corcoran pointed to her trailer and asked Cuban to take her luggage inside, to which he willingly complied.

However, she received the shock of her life when she saw Cuban sitting on the iconic 'Shark Tank' judges' chair. It soon dawned on her that the presumed "bellboy" was none other than her new colleague. "I look at the guy next to me, and it's the luggage guy sitting next to me," Corcoran shared. "So I said to him, 'What are you doing here?'" The "luggage guy" replied, "I'm Mark Cuban. Nice to meet you," she said in the video, adding, "I was so embarrassed, I asked him to carry my bags!" 

It is to be noted that Cuban joined the cast in 'Shark Tank' Season 3, whereas Corcoran has been part of the show since its debut in 2009. However, this could not have been the case, as in another video, Corcoran shared that she was initially dropped from Shark Tank's early lineup, as per Fortune. Corcoran reveals that she was first contacted by a producer’s assistant about joining 'Shark Tank,' to which she replied, "I don’t fish." However, after hearing the show's premise, Corcoran was "hooked."

While Corcoran initially had doubts about the opportunity, she signed the contract "without even reading it" and rushed to buy new suits and luggage for the trip. However, just a day before leaving for Hollywood, Corcoran received a call informing her that the female seat had been given to someone else. Corcoran, refusing to back down, sent an email directly to producer Mark Burnett, writing, "Dear Mark, I understand you’ve asked another girl to dance instead of me. Although I appreciate being reserved as a fallback—which wasn’t true—I’m much more accustomed to coming in first." Luckily, her email tactic worked and fans could see Corcoran on the iconic 'Shark Tank' chair.