Bankrate: When you found out you were in a financial hole of that size, how did you react?

Don LaFontaine: I was a little nervous, but again, not to sound cavalier, I have always made enough money to figure it out, and I knew I would. I've always been motivated by the need to make the money to, in a situation like that, either buy a home or provide for my child's education or pay off a debt or buy a car. I've always been motivated to do the work necessary to make the money to pay for those things. So when I saw myself in that hole, I was more pissed than anything else, and I decided to never again entrust my money to somebody I didn't investigate fully. Luckily, I met up with a fellow who took over those affairs and got me out of that hole tout de suite, and has been my dear friend and confidant for many years since then. So that's how I handled it. I never found there to be much percentage in running off henny-penny, screaming into the woods. I've never found a creditor who would take your screams of anguish as collateral against your bills.

Bankrate: How long did it take you to get back in the black?

Don LaFontaine: About three years. And also, I maintained my lifestyle at the same time. I did that without sacrificing my lifestyle.

Bankrate: When you are eventually out of this business, do you think there will be a continuation of the style you've ushered in, or is there something specific you see starting to happen that may be a whole different thing?

Don LaFontaine: I think it's going to evolve as it has over the years, and I think the evolution will be a slow and gradual process so that the only way you'll be able to tell the difference between the style of today and one of 15-20 years down the line is to play them back to back.