Paris Hilton And Willem Defoe Battle In Cannes Fundraiser
Jamie Gold watched over proceedings at the 2009 Cannes poker Fundraiser this week. The competition saw an eccentric mix of celebrities and faces from the world of arts including Paris Hilton, Willem Defoe and novelist extraordinaire, Paulo Coelho.
Hosted by 2006 World Series of Poker Champion Jamie Gold (pictured right), the 2009 charity poker event held during the annual film festivities in Cannes saw the stars come out in force.
Willem Defoe is a legend of the big screen, notable for his eerie, somewhat maniacal performances: and Spiderman. He was joined by the like of Reservoir Dogs producer Lawrence Bender and story teller Paulo Coelho. The novelist who has sold well in excess of 100 million books worldwide is a keen player with pockets to match.
Jamie Gold served as the emcee for the event, which attracted 250 runners to the felts in Cannes. The event was held for the Maybach foundation which, “helps particularly gifted young people reach their full potential by providing an innovative mentoring program and financial support.” The organization is headquartered in San Francisco and was founded back in 2006.
On May 18, the Maybach Foundation held its annual Private Luncheon at Cannes at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc to celebrate this year’s award winner, Edward Norton. The foundation honoured his commitment to charitable organizations, stating in a press release that “the extraordinary engagement of Edward Norton is an excellent example of genuine celebrity support for charitable cause.”
Norton, who joins the likes of Dennis Hopper and Quincy Jones as previous winners is best known in the poker world for his part in the 1998 film ‘Rounder’s’. A genre classic and often cited as the reason for many a players’ interest for the game, the film catapulted Texas Hold ‘em into the mainstream.
One of the people to fall under the films’ spell was one Chris Moneymaker (pictured left), who went onto to win the World Series of Poker after seeing the film.
Also benefiting from the Cannes event was Sunflower Children, an organization that “provides humanitarian aid to disadvantaged children around the world.” Sunflower Children is active in 16 countries, including Cambodia, Colombia, Cuba, the Czech Republic, Brazil, Guinea, India, Kenya, South Africa, Nepal, Niger, Nicaragua, Peru, Romania, Guatemala, and the Philippines.
