Poker on TV - Celebrity Poker Showdown

  Do we all remember the old show Battle of the Network Stars? For those who are not familiar with it: back in the seventies and eighties the viewing audience was treated, once a year, to an event where pampered celebrities were cheered on as they performed the grueling sort of physical challenges that were more appropriate for a third grade gym class than prime-time television. This rather silly idea may have fizzled after six dismal seasons, but the idea survived and became the cornerstone of one of the most popular poker shows around: Celebrity Poker Showdown.  As we all know, the game of Texas Holdem has become a national phenomenon. Coincidentally, this is a type of poker that a number of celebrities have shown a unique prowess at playing. All the Bravo network had to do was tap into the audience's love of Holdem, and combine it with their love of celebrities and suddenly they got a hit show.  There are those who would just read the title and figure that this program is just another celebrity freak show where B-level celebrities try to revive their careers by glomming onto a fad: like Fox's fiasco Celebrity Boxing. But in this case many of the players are celebrities from the entertainment and sports worlds who are legitimate household names, such as Ben Affleck, Jerome Bettis, Shannon Elizabeth, Matthew Perry, Carrie Fisher, James Woods, and Jeff Gordon. Among the people who have appeared on the show, most of them are accomplished players who had been playing poker long before Bravo ever thought about putting their efforts at a gaming table on the air. Of the number of participants who have a legitiamte pedigree at the game of Holdem, perhaps the most impressive is Jennifer Tilly. This actress/poker pro appeared on the eighth tournament that Bravo aired, and brought not only her considerable charm to the game, but a World Series of Poker bracelet as well.  Unlike so many other shows that feature celebrities in some sort of competition, Celebrity Poker Showdown is not an opportunity for these stars to further line their pockets. Each one of the participants is playing for a charity, and the prize money they win is donated to a worthy cause. The winners walk away with a spiffy silver poker chip if they win their game, and a gold one if the win the entire tournament.