Born and raised in Berkeley, California, Oliver ‘Ali’ Nejad was a happy-go-lucky kid who never failed to entertain his family and friends with his personality and sense of humor. It seemed inevitable that he was destined for T.V. , but it wasn’t until his high school friends urged him to audition for a local youth program that he realized his own talent. He had no trouble getting the part and later, while enrolled at UC Berkeley, he started hosting two NBC affiliate shows: First Cut and Hypertek.
In 1998, while completing his degree and already on track for a television career, Nejad walked away from both to pursue his dream of becoming a professional poker player. After quickly learning the game, he bounced between playing and dealing before eventually getting hired to play for the house. Once he achieved his goal of playing for a living, Ali returned to television, where his experience in sports and culture afforded him the opportunity to interview such celebrities as David Spade, Christy Turlington, Chris Farley, Kelly Slater, Mark Foo, Matt Hoffman, and a whole slew of other actors and athletes.
More recently, Nejad has combined his two passions – poker and TV – into one lucrative career. He’s hosted FSN’s Poker Superstars II, NBC’s National Heads-Up Poker Championship, Poker After Dark, and Poker Road Radio. Additionally, he has served as the commentator on shows like Ultimate Poker Challenge, ESPN’s Pro-Am Poker Equalizer, and the World Series of Poker.
Away from the tables, Ali is known for throwing superb parties and pulling lovable pranks and stunts. He is a man who knows how to enjoy life and revels in helping others do the same.
Ali Nejad has firmly entrenched himself at the centre of the poker media world and, given his popularity and camaraderie with the players, he won’t be going anywhere for a long time.
