WHAT
IT IS: Imagine getting together with your buddies for a
friendly game of no-limit Texas holdem. Now imagine that
your buddies include such B-list Hollywood personalities
as Jerry O'Connell, Jason Bateman and Kathy Griffin. And
that poker great Phil Gordon and former Kid in the Hall
Dave Foley are on hand to talk smack about all the
boneheaded moves you and your pals make. Finally,
imagine that it's videotaped and broadcast nearly round
the clock on Bravo. Congratulations - you've just
imagined the latest season of "Celebrity Poker
Showdown."
WHAT
IT'S ALL ABOUT: Poker fever seems to have caught most of
America in its sweaty, chip-clenching grip. Home games
are popping up around the nation with more frequency
than J.Lo's exes, while serious players (and the
seriously deluded who consider themselves players) are
having to wait hours to take a seat at casino poker
tables.
"Celebrity Poker
Showdown" combines America's longstanding fascination
with the sorta-famous and its newfound rediscovery of
the so-called "Cadillac of poker" - no-limit Texas
holdem - for a show that is much more entertaining than
it has any right to be. (Check out Bravo's "CPS" Web
site at
http://www.bravotv.com/Celebrity_Poker_Showdown/ for a
tutorial on Texas holdem with expert Gordon.)
WHY
WE LIKE IT: Part of the credit goes to the "pocket cam,"
the innovation that shows viewers which cards a player
is holding and that made the game a viable spectator
sport. Part of the credit lies in the fun of watching
heads-up showdowns between such unlikely celebrity
couplings as Dave "I married Carmen Electra" Navarro
(Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jane's Addiction) and Richard
"I'm friends with George Clooney" Kind ("Spin City").
And a big part belongs to star-crossed co-hosts Foley
and Gordon.
Last
year, Foley replaced actor-comedian Kevin Pollak as "CPS's"
celebrity emcee. While Pollak did a fine job in the 1995
movie "Casino," his work at the Palms Casino Resort
(where "CPS" is filmed) left much to be desired, with
unfunny jokes and posturing that detracted from the
table action. The yin-yang of poker ace Gordon's insider
knowledge of the game and Foley's often mean-spirited
wit makes the current season enjoyable to card sharks
and fish alike.
Although most of the contestants hail from the "where do
I know him from?" school of celebrity (think Michael Ian
Black or Chris Masterson), the show sometimes manages to
attract bona fide stars, such as Matthew Perry or Martin
Sheen. And honestly, where else are you likely to find
"Sex and the City" sidekick Willie Garson besting such
Hollywood A-listers as Ben Affleck and David Schwimmer?
