Jamie M. Gold (born August 25, 1969)[1] is a former talent agent turned television producer and poker tournament player, based in Malibu, California. He is the reigning World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event champion.
Early years
Gold was born in New York City,[2] and raised in Paramus, New Jersey, where he graduated from Paramus High School. [3] He later earned a bachelor's degree from the State University of New York at Albany, and studied entertainment law at UCLA.[4]
Entertainment business
Gold began his career in the entertainment business at 16 as an intern. He became a full talent agent before he was 21, but soon moved into management/production. Gold's alleged clients are James Gandolfini, David Strathairn, Donnie Wahlberg, Jimmy Fallon, Lucy Liu, Kristin Davis, Melora Walters, Felicity Huffman, Brandy and Natasha Henstridge. Gold is currently President of production at Buzznation.[5]
An article on Defamer.com[6] fueled a rumor that Gold did not represent certain stars, which was rebuffed by a letter[7] from Gandolfini's current manager and reports of Gold and Gandolfini dining together.[8][9]
There is some speculation as to whether Jamie Gold was at least part of the inspiration for fictional Hollywood agent Ari Gold, a character on HBO's Entourage. This character is most likely based on real life super agent Ari Emanuel, who represents actor Mark Wahlberg, the show's executive producer.[10] However, Jamie did go to college with Entourage creator Doug Ellin and has been told by others in Hollywood that he was the basis for the character. [11]
Poker
Gold's mother Jane was a keen poker player, and his grandfather was a champion gin rummy player. Gold began working with former WSOP main event winners Johnny Chan and Chris Moneymaker on an upcoming television show, and Chan began to mentor Gold in poker.[12][13]
In 2005, Gold began regularly playing poker tournaments. In April 2005 at the Bicycle Casino, he won his first major no limit Texas hold 'em tournament, earning $54,225. Over the next twelve months, Gold had seven more in the money finishes in California tournaments.
Gold is a member of Team Bodog,[13] and a neighbor of 2000 WSOP main event winner Chris Ferguson.[4]
Gold has confirmed that despite his poker success, he will continue to work his regular job, and just play poker in his spare-time.[14]
2006 World Series of Poker
At the 2006 WSOP, Gold maintained a significant chip lead from Day 4 onwards to win the World Series of Poker Main Event (no limit, Texas hold 'em, $10,000 buy-in), outlasting 8,772 other players. Excluding 4th place finisher Allen Cunningham, Gold had more casino tournament final table finishes than the rest of his final table opponents combined.[15] Gold eliminated 7 of his 8 opponents at the final table. Paul Wasicka eliminated the other final tablist, Douglas Kim.[13]
Gold defeated Paul Wasicka heads-up, earning a record $12,000,000 when in the final hand his Q♠ 9♣ made a pair with the board of Q♣ 8♥ 5♥. (Wasicka's 10♥ 10♠ was unable to improve on the A♦ turn and 4♣ river cards.)
Gold ate blueberries during the play of the 2006 WSOP main event final table and joked in a post-tournament interview that the blueberries were "brain food" and the reason he won.[13]
As a result of the WSOP win, Gold's total live tournament winnings exceed a record $12,000,000, and he became the first person to eclipse the $10,000,000 mark in tournament poker.[16]
Immediately after his WSOP win, Gold called his father, Dr. Robert Gold, who could not attend as he suffers from Lou Gehrig's disease. Gold pledged to use his winnings to make his father more comfortable.[13]
Winnings controversy
One-half of Gold's $12 million purse is currently frozen, being held in a Clark County trust account. On August 22, 2006, Chief District Court Judge Kathy Hardcastle froze the payment of the funds due to an ongoing legal dispute between Gold and Bruce Crispin Leyser. According to Leyser, during the tournament he and Gold reached a deal wherein Leyser would, through advertising, assist Gold with procuring celebrities to represent, and in exchange would receive one-half of any of Gold's winnings from the tournament.[17] The court matter is ongoing.
Notes
^ Schwarz, Mark. Looking golden in Vegas. The Record. Retrieved on 2006-08-06.
^ Jamie Gold - Professional Poker Player Profile. PokerPages.com. Retrieved on 2006-08-11.
^ Nakashima, Ryan. "$12M payday was one big bluff", northjersey.com. Retrieved on 2006-08-12.
^ a b Anonymous. Jamie Gold - Poker Player Profile. PokerListings.com. Retrieved on 2006-08-12.
^ Gold, Jamie. Jamie M. Gold. JamieGold.com. Retrieved on 2006-08-10.
^ Editor. Jamie Gold: Not As Agenty As Previously Claimed?. Defamer. Retrieved on 2006-08-14.
^ Editor. James Gandolfini's Current Agent Vouches for Jamie Gold. Wicked Chops Poker. Retrieved on 2006-08-31.
^ Editor. Jamie Gold Knows James Gandolfini. Wicked Chops Poker. Retrieved on 2006-10-06.
^ Darrow, Chuck. Seinfeld: Two shows, two properties, one night. Courier Post. Retrieved on 2006-10-06.
^ McNamara, Melissa. Aquaman Makes A Splash Online. CBS News. Retrieved on 2006-08-02.
^ Feldman, Andrew. Good as Gold. ESPN. Retrieved on 2006-08-15.
^ "Snoopy". Gold For Gold. BlondePoker.com. Retrieved on 2006-08-12.
^ a b c d e Gosselin, Jake. Jamie Gold Wins 2006 WSOP With Record Pot. Bodog. Retrieved on 2006-08-12.
^ Showell, Matthew. 2006 WSOP - Jamie Gold crowned Main Event champion. PokerListings.com. Retrieved on 2006-08-12.
^ Rosario, Shirley. Jamie Gold Profile. PokerBabes.com. Retrieved on 2006-08-10.
^ Butt, Robert. Jamie Gold Tournament Results. The Hendon Mob. Retrieved on 2006-08-10.
^ Skolnik, Sam. All that glitter is not Gold's, says lawsuit seeking half of poker win. Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved on 2006-08-23.
External link
Official site
