"I'd like to thank The Academy, mom and dad, my mistresses, my money laundering friends in Russia…." The glory can come with a successful (or at least critically praised) film. Especially during awards season. Most of a producer's glory, however, will only be recognized by others within the industry. You know it's real when hideously ugly fat guys have young blondes swarming all over them. (Lack of self-awareness is often a core trait of successful producers.)
This recognition is good enough for many. The more successful a producer is, the more talented (and wealthy) people want to be involved with them. The more these people want to work with a producer, the more successful he can be. If you can get a few successes, it's a model that sustains itself indefinitely—or at least until you make “Battleship” and people stop returning your calls. ("Kablooey…you sunk my career").