Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous was a popular television series that aired in syndication from 1984 to 1995. The show featured the extravagant lifestyles of wealthy entertainers, athletes and business moguls. It was hosted by Robin Leach for the majority of its run. When Leach was joined by Shari Belafonte in 1994, the show was renamed Lifestyles with Robin Leach and Shari Belafonte. Leach ended each episode with a wish for his viewers that became his signature phrase, “champagne wishes and caviar dreams.”
LISTEN NOW: Lifestyles Theme Song
[audio:lifestyles.mp3]
“Lifestyles” was one of the first shows to capitalize specifically on Americans’ interest in the lives of the wealthy and famous. Later shows such as MTV’s “Cribs” and VH1’s “The Fabulous Life Of…” continued this trend. “Lifestyles” was largely intended to be an insight into the opulent residences and the glamorous lifestyles of those it profiled. However, many of the geographic areas it covered were ideal destinations for vacations, and in his on-camera appearances, Leach indirectly made references to resorts and tourist attractions. David Perry, who was the voice-over narrator for most of the segments during the bulk of the show’s run and could be heard whenever Leach did not appear on camera, made more direct references to such resorts and such tourist attractions during his tenure as the show’s voice-over narrator.
