Why Guy Fieri Says He Plans to ‘Die Broke’

Guy Fieri

Guy Fieri's fortune won't be freely handed over to his kids. In fact, the Food Network star has said he plans to "die broke."

The celebrity chef and restaurateur's statements were influenced by his father's motto, which inherently inspired his strong work ethic, as well as comments made by the one and only Shaquille O'Neal.

“I’ve told them the same thing my dad told me. My dad says, ‘When I die, you can expect that I’m going to die broke, and you’re going to be paying for the funeral,’” Fieri, 55, told Fox News in an interview published earlier this week.

"And I told my boys, ‘None of this that we’ve been … that I’ve been building are you going to get unless you come and take it from me.’"

In addition to the several TV series he hosts, Fieri has made quite the name for himself in the restaurant and food world, opening several eateries across the country in addition to his own line of frozen meals and spiked punch.

"Shaq said it best," he added. "Shaq said it about his kids one time. He says, ‘If you want any of this cheese, you’ve got to give me two degrees.’ Well, my two degrees mean, you know, postgraduate. So they’re on their way."

As for how his kids feel about not getting to coast through life as nepo babies, well, it's a pretty mixed bag. Fieri's youngest son Ryder, who turns 18 later this month, expressed feeling overwhelmed by the idea of obtaining two degrees.

"My youngest son, Ryder, is a senior in high school getting ready to graduate, or you know, going to graduate in the spring,” Fieri explained. “And he’s like, ‘Dad this is so unfair. I haven’t even gone to college yet, and you’re already pushing that I’ve got to get an MBA? Can I just get through college?’"

As for his eldest, Hunter–who recently got engaged to his longtime girlfriend Tara Bernstein–the Mayor of Flavortown joked, "I think the kid’s going to explode," as the 27-year-old is currently working to obtain his master's degree while also working for his father.

In addition to his two biological sons, Fieri and his wife Lori also raised their 22-year-old nephew, Jules, after Fieri's sister, Morgan, passed away from melanoma in 2011. According to the outlet, Jules is also working hard for his future, studying law in Southern California while pursuing a music career.

The Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives host is the latest celebrity to admit that they're not simply giving their kids a "free ride" by gifting them a massive inheritance; other A-listers to speak out about wanting to instill some sort of worth ethic in their offspring include Mick Jagger, Sting, Bill Gates, and, of course, Shaq.

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