How to Land Channing Tatum's Phone Number
If you’ve played poker in Louisiana, you’ve likely crossed paths with Ben Mintz. The man with the raspy voice, over-the-top amiability, and drink in his hand is a unique and memorable character. Everyone seems to love Mintz, and if you buy into one rumor, that includes actor Channing Tatum.
As the story goes, Tatum was recently in New Orleans filming 22 Jump Street and decided to spend some of his downtime at a local casino playing $1-$2 NLHE. Mintz was in the game, and of course he couldn’t resist talking to one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars. The two hit it off, and Tatum confided that he wanted to learn a little more about this game called poker. Mintz offered to teach him, and just like that he landed Tatum’s number.
"I told him I would give him free poker lessons if he could teach me how to pick up girls better," Mintz told PokerNews.
Whether or not that story is true is hard to know, but when Mintz tells it you can’t help but believe him.
Aside from a winning personality, Mintz is also quite the accomplished poker player. He has $232,179 in live tournament earnings, which included a 75th-place finish in the 2011 World Series of Poker Main Event for $90,343, his largest career score. His other notable cashes include third in the 2011 World Poker Tour Jacksonville Summer Series $1,500 Main Event for $52,904; first in the 2012 WSOP Circuit Biloxi $1,125 NLHE event for $30,000; and eighth in last year’s WSOP Circuit New Orleans $1,675 Main Event for $27,192.
For more on Tatum, we recommend you check out this funny clip he did on the set of 22 Jump Street:
Mintz has made the 70-minute drive to Baton Rouge to play his first-ever MSPT, so rest assured we’ll be keeping in eye on him here today.
Written by Chad Holloway