Shark cageKevin O’Leary has gone swimming in shark-infested warm waters after making a controversial statement on Twitter last weekend.

But Mr. Wonderful refuses to back down. Rather, he has appeared on several news shows in recent days to defend his statement and snap back at his critics.

The feud started on Saturday morning when O’Leary tweeted, “You can lose your wife, you can lose your dog, your mom can hate you. None of those things matter. It’s about you succeeding and getting free. Then you can do whatever you want.”

You can lose your wife, you can lose your dog, your mother can hate you. None of those things matter. It’s about achieving success and becoming free. Then you can do whatever you want.

— Kevin O’Leary aka Mr. Wonderful (@kevinolearytv) February 11, 2023

The tweet was not well received by Twitter users, who felt that O’Leary’s staunch stance lacked compassion and humanity.

Called a Twitter user @MasonVersluis tweeted: “Kevin, this is a soulless tweet! Being soulless has brought you tremendous success, but you need to tap into your inner higher self now and stop focusing on the money! Hopefully you know yourself and haven’t mixed your brand up with Human!”

Kevin, this is a soulless tweet!

Being soulless has brought you immense success, but you must now tap into your inner higher self and stop focusing on the money!

Hopefully you know yourself and have not confused your brand with man!

— MASON VERSLUIS ?? (@MasonVersluis) February 11, 2023

@AlexKerner tweeted that O’Leary was too materialistic.

I used to appreciate your post, now it just sounds like a miserable life. Who cares about money when you only have material things to enjoy? If this is what is defined as a success, I can understand why there is backlash these days.

— Alex Kerner (@psychedalex68) February 14, 2023

Others tweet cute pictures of their dogs.

how can anything be more important than this pic.twitter.com/zaylHYtDwm

— raj? (@rajgokal) February 12, 2023

Related: Kevin O’Leary Says It’s the ‘Safest Place on Earth’ to Keep Your Money After FTX Crypto Crash

O’Leary responds

O’Leary, who has never faced a controversy he couldn’t publicize, took to the airwaves this week to defend his position.

He told CNN that that he stands by his tweet “100 percent”, arguing that being an australiabusinessblog.com takes a huge sacrifice.

“If you’re an australiabusinessblog.com, you know exactly what I’m talking about because you have to make sacrifices. You have to work 25 hours a day, eight days a week, because your competitors in Mumbai or Shanghai – they want to kick your ass. You must win when you are young and sacrifice everything so that later in life you can have freedom for your whole family,” he said.

O’Leary accused his critics of not understanding the nature of entrepreneurship. “If you don’t get it, don’t worry about it because you don’t fit the entrepreneurial mold,” he said. “If you’re not ready to work hard, you’re not an australiabusinessblog.com, get over it if it makes you uncomfortable. I don’t care.”

On Fox News, O’Leary doubled down, saying, “If that statement makes you uncomfortable, you’re not an australiabusinessblog.com. Don’t even try.”

I don’t understand all the backlash because of my comments about #hard work #stake & #sacrifice If you’re not willing to work 25 hours a day 8 days a week, don’t ask me for one #investment. You are not #australiabusinessblog.com Get started as an employee at a competitor! pic.twitter.com/ZhUnhwERny

— Kevin O’Leary aka Mr. Wonderful (@kevinolearytv) February 14, 2023