Jordan Belfort says "The Wolf of Wall Street" should be viewed as a "cautionary tale"

For years Jordan Belfort employed dishonest business practices to prey on American investors. But tonight, the real “Wolf of Wall Street” is nothing if not transparent.

Joining "Piers Morgan Live" for the first interview since the release of the Oscar-nominated film which depicts his decadent rise to excessive wealth, Belfort notes that the movie, and his autobiography upon which it's based, should be viewed as manuals of what to avoid, not mimic.

Piers Morgan asks Belfort if there's a concern that “The Wolf of Wall Street,” which features superstar Leonardo DiCaprio in the titular role, might serve to glamorize the former stock broker's villainous behavior, Belfort offers a few key contrasts that separate the current Oscar-nominated file, and it's similarly-themed predecessors, including the 1987 classic “Wall Street” starring Michael Douglas.

“There’s a fundamental difference between the Gordon Gekko character and myself. Number one, Gordon Gekko was a fictionalized character and [the audience] never really saw his downfall," he notes, as part of an exclusive interview. "In this movie it's pretty clear that I lost everything.”

Belfort continues, telling Morgan that rather than glorifying or encouraging over-indulgence, he believes “The Wolf of Wall Street” could offer a constructive critique of greed:

“For me it’s important that the movie is viewed the right way, certainly as a cautionary tale.”

Tune in to "Piers Morgan Live" tonight at 9 for the full interview.
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