WPT to Courtney Friel: It’s Been Real

Courtney Friel is one and done as host of the World Poker Tour (WPT). After replacing the popular Shana Hiatt for the fourth season of the WPT, the powers that be have already decided to go in another direction, hiring Sabina Gadecki as the pretty face of the Tour.

Gadecki’s interesting story is truly a “right place, right time” situation. In July 2001, while on a trip to New York City, she and her mother decided to be a part of the audience of MTV’s hit show, “Total Request Live.” After the show, a producer approached her and asked if she would be interesting in a modeling job. Turned out, that job was for Jennifer Lopez, and the next week, Gadecki was in the Jennifer Lopez Fashion Show.

A week later, Seventeen Magazine offered her a modeling job, and she appeared in the magazine in November. Appearances in Redbook and Complete Woman followed.

Then, in 2002, she was named Miss Western Massachusetts and moved on to compete in the Miss Massachusetts pageant. Unfortunately, she did not win that title, but she was named the 2002 Miss Polonia World in a separate competition.

The reasons behind the host change are unknown at this time, but it could not have helped that Friel’s predecessor had such a strong fan following. Unlike Gadecki, Friel may have just been in the right place at the wrong time.

Originally published May 16, 2006