The second installment of The Chirp & A Chair Podcast – hosted by Seth Davies and Jonathan Jaffe – aired this week with special guest Chris Moneymaker.
While you probably know all about Moneymaker’s famed 2003 WSOP Main Event victory, you might not have heard the story of what came after for the man who started the poker boom. After reaching the pinnacle of poker and becoming the face of the game seemingly overnight, Moneymaker’s success on the felt diminished, but he never lost his love for the game. It’s a part of the Moneymaker story most people gloss over, and during the podcast he details how that experience prompted him to adapt his game and refocus his efforts.
Rubbing shoulders with DiCaprio and Timberlake
Moneymaker also details just how far his poker fame took him with a couple of wild celebrity stories.
In one, Moneymaker talks about meeting Hollywood superstar Leonard DiCaprio at a Los Angeles party. According to Moneymaker, he was just minding his own business at the event when DiCaprio approached him.
As Moneymaker tells it, “I’m at this random party with a bunch of celebrities, business people, stuff like this. I’m just standing there talking to a buddy of mine. A guy comes up behind me and puts his hand on my shoulder and goes, ‘Dude, I’m a huge fan!’ I turn around and it’s Leonardo DiCaprio. I’m like, ‘What the… What the hell’s going on?'”
Moneymaker also recounts getting a call from his lawyer in the middle of the night, telling him to hurry on over to a poker game because Justin Timberlake wanted to play with him.
Moneymaker’s answer to the invitation?
“Buddy, I love ya, but I’m not getting out of bed.”