Norman Chad

Norman Chad Biography
by Chad Holloway of Predictem.com

Norman Chad was born in 1958 to Seymour and Perla Chad. Growing up in Silver Springs, Maryland, Chad spent much of his time watching television: "Well, let's see… I was never cool growing up, and there (I was) sitting in front of TV all the time, so I knew at an early age somehow my life would have something to do with television." Chad attended Northwood High School, where he served as the Sports Editor for the school newspaper, and graduated in 1976. He continued his education at the University of Maryland, College Park where he graduated with a degree in American Studies. It was during this time that Chad began to take on many sports related jobs, including writing for the campus newspaper and a local racetrack. After college, Chad found himself trying stand-up comedy, writing for various sports publications including Sports Illustrated, and struggling as a sitcom writer, eventually selling five scripts (two episodes for ABC's Coach and three for HBO's Arli$$).

In 2003, Chad was offered a position, alongside Lon McEachern, as a poker commentator, a position he initially thought was absurd:

"The first time I walked into Binion's (Horseshoe Casino) in 2003, I took one look around the room at the cast of characters and realized this job was going to be everything I'd ever dreamt of. I swear I asked myself, 'Where has this been all my life?' Then, after I watched the first show before it aired, I was so impressed at the gritty, real-life gambling feel these new producers had given it, it was just unbelievable."

Chad's quick-wit and comedic commentary has helped fuel the poker boom ever since Chris Moneymaker won the 2003 World Series of Poker. It was in response to Moneymaker's victory that Chad uttered one of poker's most memorable lines: "This is beyond fairy tale - it's inconceivable." Chad is also credited with introducing a few other words to poker vernacular; for example, he often says "Squadoosh" when a player has absolutely nothing but attempts to bluff and "Whamboozled" when a poker player stands to be eliminated from a tournament and doesn't catch a needed card. Chad's disdain for "showboating in poker" has been displayed through his sharp criticism of players like Phil Helmuth Jr. and Mike Matusow; in fact, he even caused controversy among many poker pros after his remarks regarding Josh Arieh's behavior during the 2004 W.S.O.P.. Chad, who often jokes about his "failed marriages," describes how his job unfolds:

"On average, a final table is 140 hands; we'll show about fifteen. We've seen the tape of the full action beforehand, but we don't see the final cut until we sit down to tape, so nothing we say is rehearsed or scripted. It's a grueling process sometimes with ten or twelve hour taping days, but the final product is always worth it. And even today, there are times when we stop and Lon and I will just look at each other and just say, 'Can you believe we get paid for this?'

Chad, who has been married three times, has occasionally served as host of ESPN's Pardon the Interruption and the ESPN Classic series Reel Classics. In 1993, he wrote Hold On Honey, I'll Take You to the Hospital at Halftime (Confessions of a TV Sports Junkie) and continues to write the nationally-syndicated sports column "Couch Slouch." Chad currently resides in Los Angeles, California and enjoys traveling and spending time with his latest wife.

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