Jean-Robert Bellande made an immediate impact on the poker world back in 2005 as a brash and outspoken player known for playful table talk, but in the years since he has managed to climb the ranks and play in some of the biggest games cash games in the world.

The New York native has also had quite a bit of tournament success, coming close to a bracelet twice at the World Series of Poker, including a runner-up finish in the 2015 Poker Players Championship. He has more than $2.1 million in live tournament earnings. Bellande also appeared on the reality game show Survivor, on the 15th season of the program.

Highlights from this interview include being tall in China, going from nightclub promoter to the life of the party, losing big in his first session, running the worst, hanging out with celebrity DJs, visiting movie sets and going to the Oscars, avoiding reality TV, and assembling fake Apple products in Taiwan.