About Jason Gunn

I am the youngest of four children of a public school teacher and Navy Veteran.  So it’s easy to recognize that early on I learned the value of a public education and the opportunity that a good education grants every child.  My parents taught me how important it is to do your part as a citizen of our country.  I can’t tell you how much I’ve heard, “pay your bills, have good credit, and take care of yourself.”  And that the American dream could become a reality for everyone with determination, honesty and hard work.  That was lessons my three brothers and myself received from our parents.

 

Career in Media Communications:

Every since I can remember I always wanted to work in the entertainment industry.  As a youth it started, like many youths, I wanted to be an actor and see myself on the big screen.  As time progressed, and as I learned more about myself and the way I wanted to see my life as I turned to adulthood, my interest broadened.  I did want to limit myself to just the film industry, but I wanted to expand and look into as many aspects of the mass communications field as I could.  In my junior year in college at Old Dominion University, I decided to taken an internship with a local television news station.  That experience afforded me much of what I needed to know that this was a direction I wanted to go toward.  Just a couple of months after the internship ended, I was offered a job on their Assignment Desk.

 

Tragedy and the Bombing of the USS Cole:

In 2000, tragedy struck the Gunn family. My brother Cherone Gunn stationed on the USS Cole when al-Qaeda attacked. He was among the 17 who were killed in the attack.  That was a devastating day for me, my family, much of my friends, the community, and the nation as a whole.  As this was a terrorist related incident, where terrorist sought out to sink a United States battleship, they neglected in doing that, and only succeeded in the murder of my brother and 16 others.  This is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life.  How can anyone forget that their brother/best friend/confidant/advisor/helping hand/etc was taken away in an act done by those who were not raise the same way as you and I.  He was a part of me, and now he’s no longer with us.

 

Move From Virginia to Florida:

As an active member of the National Association of Black Journalist, I attended a conference and career expo in Atlanta Georgia.  In many conferences of this sort, I was able to meet various different people and gain valuable contacts.  It was there that I associated with a contact with a news station in Central Florida.  And in November 2005, I moved from my hometown and much of what I knew to Orlando, FL to begin employment there.  I was born and primarily raised in Virginia.  Most of my family and friends are there.  It was initially hard to break away, but I eventually managed and adjusted to life in Florida.  Now I can honestly say I’m glad to be in Florida.  I have found a new love in my girlfriend Sara and established myself with my new career, making new friends.  

 

Life as a Card Player:

When I say card player, I’m specifically referring to poker player.  I have known how to play the game poker for as long as I remember.  Typical game as a child would come in the fashion of five-card draw.  I wasn’t until many years later when I would get serious about it.  After watching the show the Sopranos, I got immediately intrigued by one episode featuring the “Executive Game”.  There I saw a collection of type of people; gangsters, doctors, entertainers, lawyers, business owners were all sitting at the same table playing the game.  It must have been the allure of the status that these men had and what they had in common.  I wanted to be like all of them.  I wanted to play poker.  So I went from playing the online version of “Big Pussy’s Executive Game” on the Sopranos website, to online poker for free and money, and then to live events with real competition.  I played in various free bar-league events and eventually found myself in home games.  From there came the casino experience.  Over the past several years I’ve played in many places from Atlantic City to Las Vegas and my game has grown.  I’ve been told by professionals that I’m good enough to play professionally.  I still play occasionally, or whenever my wallet affords me to.  It’s a game I’ve to love and appreciate, and likely will be with me for a very long time.