Life Outside Poker is a new PokerNews podcast hosted by Connor Richards that that seeks to pull back the curtain on poker players and allow viewers and listeners to get to know them on a personal level.
Mounir Tajiou Brings No Filter to Life w/ Michael Mizrachi, Scotty Nguyen & Juha Helppi
Life Outside Poker is a podcast for PokerNews hosted by Connor Richards that seeks to pull back the curtain on poker players and allow viewers and listeners to get to know them on a personal level.
In the 35th episode, Connor talks with No Filter Poker Series founder Mounir Tajiou about growing up in Sweden, working as a high court judge, playing professional soccer, making a deep run in the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, and the new No Filter Poker Series, which values fun at the table over poker strategy.
We also hear from 1998 Main Event champion Scotty Nguyen, reigning WSOP champ Michael Mizrachi and Finnish poker legend Juha Helppi about their involvement with the No Filter Poker tour, including their plans to play at the upcoming 2025 Nordic & Baltic Championship Open in Tallinn, Estonia from Oct. 17-22.
The Life Outside Poker podcast is available on major streaming platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud and iHeartRadio (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-life-outside-poker-w-conno-162894755/). You can also watch the interview with Mounir Tajiou by heading to the PokerNews YouTube channel.
Be sure to follow Mounir Tajiou (https://x.com/mounir_tajiou) and Connor Richards on X.
Learn More About Life Outside Poker!
Timestamps
TIME
TOPIC
0:00
Intro
0:34
Growing up in Sweden
2:00
Playing professional soccer for seven years
3:23
Working as a judge
4:38
Chasing Viktor Blom in Sweden POY
6:39
Running deep in 2025 WSOP Main Event
9:19
Main Event strategy
11:55
Will Kassouf/Playing with Michael Mizrachi
16:36
No Filter Poker Series
20:33
Nordic and Baltic Championship Open
25:47
Advice for younger self
27:08
Favorite life lesson from poker
30:00
Scotty Nguyen interview
44:40
Michael Mizrachi interview
58:30
Juha Helppi interview
26 Aug 2025
Sam Abernathy's Journey from Poker Stardom to Motherhood
Life Outside Poker is a podcast for PokerNews hosted by Connor Richards that seeks to pull back the curtain on poker players and allow viewers and listeners to get to know them on a personal level.
In the 34th episode, Connor talks with WSOP free-to-play app ambassador Sam Abernathy about growing up in Georgia, studying design, the similarities between gymnastics and poker, finishing third in the 2016 Aussie Millions Main Event, and a notorious slow roll that took place in that event.
Abernathy also talks about first getting into poker through the WSOP Play app before becoming an ambassador years later, motherhood and being married to fellow poker player Lautaro Guerra, who finished 15th in this year's WSOP Main Event for $450,000.
This interview was filmed at the 2025 WSOP at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.
The Life Outside Poker podcast is available on major streaming platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud and iHeartRadio (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-life-outside-poker-w-conno-162894755/). You can also watch the interview with Samantha Abernathy by heading to the PokerNews YouTube channel.
Be sure to follow Sam Abernathy and Connor Richards on X.
Learn More About Life Outside Poker!
Timestamps
TIME
TOPIC
0:00
Intro
0:34
Growing up in Georgia
1:12
Studying design
2:35
Finding poker through WSOP app
3:10
Gymnastics
4:56
Hollywood dream of poker
8:27
Transition from cash games to tournaments
9:44
Deep run in the 2016 Aussie Millions Main Event
11:15
Getting slow-rolled
14:04
Stepping back from poker
14:48
Being a mother
16:09
Being married to PLO crusher Lautaro Guerra
18:20
WSOP Main Event
21:08
Main Event advice
21:58
WSOP Play
24:29
Book recommendation
24:51
Advice for younger self
25:14
Favorite life lesson from poker
12 Aug 2025
Joe Stapleton Reveals 'Worst Mistake I Ever Made in My Entire Life'
Life Outside Poker is a podcast for PokerNews hosted by Connor Richards that seeks to pull back the curtain on poker players and allow viewers and listeners to get to know them on a personal level.
In the 33rd episode, Connor talks with comedian and poker commentator Joe Stapleton about growing up in Albany, New York, first seeing Rounders while visiting a college campus, working at MADtv, getting his start in the poker industry and his favorite memories from PokerStars The Big Game.
Stapleton also talked about his friendship with late comedian Norm Macdonald, the European Poker Tour (EPT), doing commentary at the 2025 WSOP and making the "worst mistake I ever made in my entire life" by attempting to make a documentary about a stand-up comedy tour.
This interview was filmed at the 2025 WSOP at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.
The Life Outside Poker podcast is available on major streaming platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud and iHeartRadio (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-life-outside-poker-w-conno-162894755/). You can also watch the interview with Joe Stapleton by heading to the PokerNews YouTube channel.
Be sure to follow Joe Stapleton (https://x.com/stapes?lang=en) and Connor Richards on X.
Learn More About Life Outside Poker!
Timestamps
TIME
TOPIC
0:00
Intro
0:23
Meeting Joe at RunGood Poker Series
2:00
Growing up in Albany, New York
3:53
Seeing Rounders & getting into poker
7:10
Early comedy influences
12:48
Moving to Los Angeles & MADtv
16:33
Comedian stories
19:45
First poker job interning at Card Player Magazine
21:29
PokerRoad
25:41
UIGEA & Black Friday
27:04
European Poker Tour
31:42
Favorite Big Game moments
34:48
Phil Hellmuth & Daniel Negreanu
37:00
PokerStars & EPT
39:18
Broadcasting & commentary
41:54
WSOP
44:12
Trapped comic book
50:39
Consulting on The Card Counter
54:02
Stand-Up Documentary Tour
57:27
Norm MacDonald
1:01:09
Steve Albini
1:04:38
Book recommendation
1:06:12
Advice for younger self
1:07:38
Favorite life lesson from poker
Who has been a guest on Life Outside Poker w/ Connor Richards
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Frank "Frankie C" Cucchiara
Jonathan Tamayo
Jennifer Tilly
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
44,720,926
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
41 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
48 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 71 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
75
Social presence
0
YouTube
93
Engagement
77
Contact Life Outside Poker w/ Connor Richards
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
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