Brett Raymer from Animal Planet's TANKED Opens Up About Prison, Losing Everything, and Why He Wouldn't Change a Thing | Sons and Daughters with Shannon Spake.

Brett Raymer, the man behind one of Animal Planet's longest-running reality TV shows, sits down with Shannon Spake for one of the most honest conversations you'll hear from a TV personality. Before the celebrity fish tanks, before building custom aquariums for Kevin Hart, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Tracy Morgan, and Anthony Davis, and before 15 seasons and millions of loyal fans, Brett Raymer was a kid from Brooklyn with no clear direction until a string of life-altering pivots changed everything.

In this episode, Brett talks openly about growing up in Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn in the 80s and 90s with divorced parents, bouncing between homes, and dreaming of a career as a professional athlete until injuries derailed that plan. He details his move to Las Vegas, his time dealing drugs, getting snitched on by a close friend, and serving 15 months in federal prison at Nellis Air Force Base. He walks through the moment he got out, fought for and won custody of his daughter, and slowly rebuilt a legitimate business before getting the idea to pitch a reality TV show after watching Orange County Choppers one night in 2004.

Brett shares the full behind-the-scenes story of how Tanked was created, why it ended after 15 seasons on Animal Planet, what happened when he checked "yes" on every single criminal history question on the show application, and how the show that seemed like it would never happen became a generational hit that still airs today. He also gets candid about losing his brother Paul, losing $1 million a year in income when the show ended, and how he pivoted again to open Stallone's Italian Eatery, two locations in Las Vegas, with zero restaurant experience.

If you've ever been knocked down and wondered how people get back up, this episode is for you.

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