"Shark Tank" Passes $4 Million In Total Investment Offers For The Season And Ranks #1 At 8PM In All 18-34, 18-49 And 25-54 Demos

ABC Renews Hit Friday Night Series for a Fourth Season and Gives it a Full Season Order of 22 Episodes

International Superstar Pit Bull Appears in this week's Season Finale

CULVER CITY, Calif., May 14, 2012 -- During last Friday's episode of Sony Pictures Television's hit ABC reality series, SHARK TANK, all of the Sharks made investment offers, but not all of the entrepreneurs were ready to accept the deals. The combined offers totaled $400,000, bringing the season-to-date total of investment offers from the Sharks to over $4 million.

SHARK TANK was Friday's #1 show for the 2nd week in a row, ranking #1 in its time period across all 18-34, 18-49, and 25-54 demos and the show continued to beat its time period competition in Adults 18-49. Continuing with its best season ever, SHARK TANK topped its year-ago telecast by 10% in Total Viewers and by 23% in Adults 18-49.

Emotions ran high when Billy Blanks, Jr., the once-homeless son of Tae Bo legend Billy Blanks, asked the Sharks to invest in his and his wife's dance fitness program, Dance With Me. After Blanks turned down an investment offer from fashion and branding expert Daymond John and billionaire Mark Cuban for $100,000 in exchange for 50% of his business, John did something he's never done before and met with Blanks and his wife after the pitch, and convinced them to accept the offer.

The episode also featured a unique pitch by music producer Tom Callahan of El Segundo, CA, who tried to convince the Sharks to add the rock band Cab 20 to their portfolios. Callahan received an investment offer from venture capitalist Kevin O'Leary and technology innovator Robert Herjavec, who made a joint offer for $200,000 in exchange for 50% of the rock band Cab 20.

Additionally, real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran made investment offers to the two other entrepreneurs featured in the episode. Corcoran offered Keeley Tillotson and Erika Welsh, two college students from Eugene, OR, $50,000 in exchange for 40% of their flavored peanut butter business, Wild Squirrel Nut Butter, which they started in their dorm room. Corcoran also offered to invest $50,000 in exchange for 25% of Adam DiSilvestro's and Frank Scozzafava's interchangeable bikini wear business, Mix Bikini.

In a follow-up story, Steve Gadlin from Evanston, IL, was interviewed about his cat drawing business, I Want To Draw A Cat For You, and how Mark Cuban's investment earlier this season has helped him grow his business.

Tune in to ABC for the SHARK TANK season finale on Friday, May 18 at 8 PM ET/PT when investors Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Kevin O'Leary, Robert Herjavec and Daymond John face a new round of entrepreneurs including a young man from Trophy Club, TX, who asks the Sharks to invest in his age-defying products that were inspired by his older girlfriend; a father from Charlotte, NC, hopes to get a business deal for his 100% recycled sneaker; two fitness trainers from Medina, OH, hope to convince the Sharks their home gym is better since it provides nitrogen gas-pressured resistance; and a man from Orlando, FL who has invented a way to incorporate the common key into a mobile phone. Additionally, in a follow-up story, Alashe Nelson from Miami, FL, talks about how his business, EZ VIP, has benefited from his investment deal with Daymond John and Mark Cuban, and John introduces Alashe to international superstar, Pit Bull.

About SHARK TANK

The Sharks are: billionaire Mark Cuban, owner and chairman of HDNet and outspoken owner of the 2011 NBA championship Dallas Mavericks; real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran; "Queen of QVC" Lori Greiner; technology innovator Robert Herjavec; fashion and branding expert Daymond John and venture capitalist Kevin O'Leary. SHARK TANK airs Fridays at 8PM on ABC.

The panel of five Sharks hears pitches of the best business and product ideas from some of America's brightest entrepreneurs. When the Sharks hear a great idea, they're ready to fight each other for a piece of it. If and when the Sharks are confronted with a really top-notch idea, and more than one of them wants to sink their teeth into it, a war between them can erupt.

Mark Burnett, Clay Newbill and Phil Gurin are the executive producers of SHARK TANK, based on the Japanese "Dragons' Den" format created by Nippon Television Network Corporation. The episode is directed by Ken Fuchs and Alan Carter. The series is from Sony Pictures Television.