The Scoop -- Jean-Robert Bellande

Jean-Robert Bellande has won more than $1.1 million in tournaments, appeared on the hit television show Survivor, and can always be found playing cash games in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Despite his achievements, he is possibly best known for his frank depictions of the ups and downs of the professional-poker lifestyle. He stopped by The Scoop studio to discuss his struggles and how he deals with them in the public eye.

Adam Schoenfeld: You have made this amazing name and brand for yourself. Diego and I knew you before that, as a player around Los Angeles, but you burst into the national consciousness by making a final table in a World Series of Poker Circuit event.

Jean-Robert Bellande: That was in 2005, and Gabe Thaler and Phil Ivey were both at that table.

AS: How much of what we see is the real person, and how much is a cartoon character that you’re manipulating for your benefit?

JRB: I actually feel like I’m just being me. I think part of the attraction of my “brand,” as you called it, is just that I keep it real. I’m not afraid to expose the ugly side — the difficulties, the struggles. A lot of poker players and gamblers can relate to it. “Hey, you know what? I’ve run just like that, for that long.” Some of them kind of hate you, and then say, “Hey, wait a second. He’s really telling it like it is, and I’ve been in that struggle, in a spot where I’ve got a guy staking me and I’ve booked this many losses for him, and I’m almost embarrassed to report back. I’d rather pull money out of my own bank account than have to report another loss.” People can relate to that. I could not believe the amount of support that I had. Haters switched over to being fans in the middle of this World Series, because they realized, this guy has a shot to do this.

Diego Cordovez: Well, people respect the honesty, as you say. On your Twitter feed, you’re logging your results, and of course everyone wants to present the image that it’s always great, but I think just yesterday or today that you were back down to zero, right?

JRB: Right.

DC: You’ve got big upswings and big downswings. Part of it is that you are playing big. I mean, obviously you are playing way beyond what your bankroll should support. But you’re comfortable with the swings, comfortable with the ups and downs, and are still going to be in action, which is not typical for people who are following you. If they are down to zero, they just might be down to zero.

JRB: To be honest with you, at this time yesterday, I was literally down to zero, where I was actually out of action, and in a spot where I had booked so many losses in a row for my backer that I didn’t even feel like I could ask him, because if I was in his spot, I wouldn’t want to continue on. Maybe later, but at least take a break, because it’s so brutal how often I have booked L’s.

AS: You twittered the other day that you advised your backer to just cut you off for a while. Sometimes it’s the best thing to take a break.

DC: You know yourself well enough that it’s not saying you aren’t going to win for him; it’s just saying that maybe this is not the best time to continue.

JRB: I actually drafted that e-mail but did not send it to him, and then did well the next day, with $10,000 that I borrowed from Crazy Marco (Marco Johnson). I was all the way down to $2,500, not knowing what I was going to do, and then finally booked a win. I think I won $10,000 or $12,000. It’s amazing how just one little win gave me a level of confidence.

AS: It changes everything.

JRB: Yes. I know that I’m supposed to be beating the game.