Celebrity Poker Tourn. Part of Oscar Event

A Sure Bet for fun at the GBK Gift Lounge
Celebrity Poker Tournament Part of Oscar Event

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A crazy-fun GBK Celebrity Poker Tournament was just one of the highlights of the GBK and Healthytrim.com Luxury Gift Lounge event held in celebration of the 2010 Oscar Nominees and Presenters.

A spectrum of notables arrived at the new W Hollywood Hotel for the party. Everyone from the big and beautiful Oscar-nominated Precious star Gabourey Sidibe, to the petite TV personality Melissa Rycroft.

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Plus The Blind Side’s “Big Mike” Quinton Aaron, who will soon be seen in a Law & Order SVU episode, Playmate Jayde Nichole, WNBA’s Lisa Leslie, and Make It Or Break It’s Candace Cameron Bure. Yes, it was a very diverse group of celebs enjoying the hospitality of GBK founder Gavin B. Keilly.

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The Blind Side’s “Big Mike” Quinton Aaron

Keilly welcomed the guys and dolls, some of whom tried their luck at the poker game that was organized by VictoryPoker.net and raised funds for Haiti relief efforts.

A gorgeous doll at the poker table was American Pie’s Shannon Elizabeth. The rambling-gambling guys included Tony Denison and Tom Everett Scott. Dancing With the Stars hunk Gilles Marini (recently seen on Brothers & Sisters), didn’t have much of a poker-face, because the biggest smile would break out on his handsome face whenever he had a good hand.

Getting serious were Jimmy-Jean Louis, Michael Kelly (Changeling) and the winner of the Poker Tournament was Roger Cross, a generous fellow (and so great in 24) who wanted all the winnings to go to the Haiti relief efforts.

Actually charity was a big part of the glamorous event hosted by GBK Productions. It benefited Help for Orphans International and HUFH: Hollywood Unites for Haiti, a non-profit group founded by actor Jimmy Jean-Louis (who played the “Haitian” on Heroes).

The Milton Hershey School was also represented, handing out Hershey candies and raising awareness of the Milton Hershey legacy that provides education, housing, food and clothing to students in financial and social need. Go to www.thehersheylegacy.com, and you’ll be impressed by what they’ve done. A Serious Man star Richard Kind was very aware of the school since he grew up near Hershey, Pennsylvania.

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A Serious Man star Richard Kind

Among the participating sponsors of the lounge introducing their fabulous products and services to the celebrities were Healthytrim.com nutritional supplement with great health benefits; stunning jewelry provided by Nehita Jewelry; Armitron and Sprout Watches; and Ksino gaming apparel. All the women loved the stylish jeans on display from REUSE Jeans. The Love Nail Tree’s tees with a thought-provoking message were popular too.

Who loved the stuff? All the famous folks parading through the GBK lounge, including Mira Sorvino, Angela Bassett, Courtney B. Vance, CCH Pounder, Deidre Hall, Sherri Sheperd (Precious, The View), Marissa Jaret Winokur (Hairspray, Dancing With the Stars), Shar Jackson (Moesha, Celebrity Fit Club), Tara Reid (American Pie), Josh Sussman and Iqbal Theba (Glee).

There were fashion collections from Goga by Gordana and Haus of Estrada (introducing their line during LA fashion week). And more fav celeb products included Sevin Nyne tanning mist and lotion, Hairlocs Hair Extension System, RevitaLash, Decleor Paris skin cream, Reactivator and Xtreme Lashes.

Celebrities were offered  luxury vacations to the Six Senses Spa Resort in Thailand, as well as a trip to Vila Vita Parc Spa in Portugal, and one to The Betsy Hotel which is a new Miami resort. There’s also membership to Quintessentially, the members-only concierge service.

For the Oscars event, Gavin continued his trend to give back, always giving a percentage of the GBK event profits to worthwhile causes. And adding a fun game of celebrity poker for the night before the Oscars to help charities was a wonderful touch. You betcha!


Margie Barron has written for a wide variety of outlets including Gannett newspapers, Nickelodeon, Tiger Beat and 16 Magazine, Fresh!, Senior Life, Production Update, airline magazines, etc. Margie is also proud to have been half of the husband & wife writing team Frank & Margie Barron, who had written together for various entertainment and travel publications for more than 38 years.

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