Parents' Guide to

Rooster & Butch

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Unorthodox investors share business savvy in reality show.

TV A&E Reality TV 2018
Rooster & Butch Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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What's the Story?

ROOSTER & BUTCH, an adaptation of the reality series West Texas Investors Club, features a pair of self-made millionaires helping others find the American Dream. Over the years, West Texans Mike "Rooster" McConaughey and Wayne "Butch" Gilliam have made their fortune in the oil, cattle, steel, and restaurant industries, despite not having business degrees or negotiating in corporate boardrooms. Now comfortably wealthy, the two want to help entrepreneurs looking for investors to really get their products and services off the ground. After listening to 30-second pitches on their old-fashioned answering machine, they choose the projects that they think are both viable and fun. Then they meet the entrepreneurs to determine if they have the integrity and determination necessary to succeed, and review their business plans and prototypes. If an entrepreneur is deemed worthy of their help, terms of the business relationship get negotiated over at their clubhouse. On occasion, friend and country singer Gil Prather hangs out and helps them out.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

This interesting and lighthearted series underscores the idea that the average person can be successful in business if that person has the right ideas and is truly committed. But while Rooster McConaughey (who happens to be the brother of actor Matthew McConaughey) and Butch Gilliam reject the corporate culture represented in similar shows like Shark Tank, they still apply the same fundamental business practices major corporations use when choosing what to invest in, including the 30-second pitch, doing the necessary research, and valuing companies. Meanwhile, some of the entrepreneurs demonstrate that they don't fully understand some of the concepts behind what they need to do to succeed.

For entertainment's sake, Rooster & Butch plays up the idea that the two men are rough around the edges thanks to a lack of formal business education and living in the rugged world of West Texas. In addition to some stereotyping, it goes out of its way to create silly, strange, and awkward situations to test entrepreneurial hopefuls. But if you look past all this, you will find two very savvy men who understand the business world, but who choose to make decisions based on the character and integrity of a businessperson before considering a proposal. Business-minded folks who choose to tune in might come away with some interesting food for thought.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what it takes to become a successful businessperson. According to Rooster & Butch, what's more helpful: a formal business education or hands-on experience? What do you think?

  • Rooster & Butch underscores the idea that the person behind a business is as important as the business itself. How do they demonstrate this throughout each episode?

TV Details

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