Phil Hellmuth Car Crash Raises More Questions Than Answers
Was the crash of an UltimateBet.com publicity racecar smashed up by controversial professional poker player Phil Hellmuth intentionally? His camp would have people believing he did not.
“A new clip sets the record straight on what really happened behind the wheel,” stated Phil Hellmuth. “Hopefully, this will put all rumors and conspiracy theories to rest.”
But the fact that the video was filmed inside and seemingly "staged" has some friends and family members of Hellmuth's outraged.
Gambling911.com fielded 7 phone calls during the overnight hours from friends and loved ones of Phil Hellmuth's late Monday when news of the "crash" first developed.
"He has always been a prankster," said one of Phil's second cousins, who wished not to be identified. "Our family members were worried sick when they first read on Gambling911.com that Phil had been involved in a serious car accident."
Gambling911.com denies being in cahoots with its premiere sponsor, UltimateBet.com.
"The story developed throughout the early morning hours between 12 pm and 6 am Eastern Time," commented Gambling911.com Senior Editor, Payton O'Brien. "That is not really a great time to stage an accident."
Others in the poker world suggest that Hellmuth, embarrassed by the fact that he doesn't know how to park a car, ordered UltimateBet to stage a second video depicting him as a suave race car driver who may or may not have staged an elaborate stunt.
"The more he brags about the incident, the more it looks like the real thing," said one player. "Rumor has it that Phil was too busy looking at himself in the rearview mirror and didn't see the concrete block approaching."
That rumor has been spreading like wild fire throughout the 2007 World Series of Poker.
Hellmuth's wife is Katherine Sanborn, a psychiatrist at Stanford University. She had no comment when Gambling911.com attempted to reach her.
"There is a reason they call him 'the poker brat'" said yet another family member who wished not to be identified. "When we have sex, he yells his own name."
Okay, we made that last quote up. Supposedly he does though.
Thousands of Gambling911.com readers viewed the Phil Hellmuth crash video making it one of the week's hottest news items.
Phil has often been prone to engage in outlandish activity.
In the first week of the show Poker After Dark on NBC, after fellow pros Shawn Sheikhan, Annie Duke, Steve Zolotow, Gus Hansen, and Huck Seed refused to stop talking while it was his turn to act on his hand after Duke raised him, he threatened to never play in these tournaments again and then he walked away. He eventually came back and was eliminated a few hands later.
At the 2002 WSOP, while commentating with Gabe Kaplan, he offered to have his head shaved if amateur Robert Varkonyi, who was short-stacked at the time, could win the event. When Varkonyi won, Hellmuth followed through; ESPN's coverage of the event ends with Hellmuth's locks getting shorn.
While many professional players, amateurs, and fans alike consider his antics distasteful and abrasive at times, they respect his talent for the game and his personality when he is away from the table. It can be contended that Hellmuth engages in some bad etiquette purposely, since a large part of selling his image is as a "poker brat."
It should be pointed out that Hellmuth is a regular contributor to many charities.
Hollywood insiders report that Phil Hellmuth is using millions of his career poker winnings to fund the film adaptation of TV’s Knight Rider and that the 11-time WSOP bracelet winner was simply test-driving one of the cars between shots. It’s not clear whether Hellmuth will remain behind the scenes or whether he’ll take on the role that kicked off David Hasselhoff’s career. This story has been neither confirmed nor denied by Phil Hellmuth.
Hellmuth also announced he will be appearing on the next installment of VH1's The Surreal Life.
Phil Hellmuth Car Crash Raises More Questions Than Answers
Hellmuth's wife is Katherine Sanborn, a psychiatrist at Stanford University. She had no comment when Gambling911.com attempted to reach her.