Shuffle Up and Deal

As we all know, I'm an excellent poker player, so naturally, I'm interested in all things poker. So, I'm flipping channels, looking for a Seinfeld rerun or something, and I see that the Season Premiere of Celebrity Poker Showdown is on the Bravo Network. First of all, this show gets a Season Premiere?? In May??

Anyway, evidently former co-host and professional poker player Phil Gordon is no longer a co-host of the show, which is a shame, b/c he's a really good poker player, but also a good poker teacher, and he's great at explaining things as they happen. (I recommend his "Little Green Book" if you want a good crash course in Hold 'Em.) Instead, sitting next to the guy who used to have Dave Foley's career (and now has only Celebrity Poker Showdown on the Bravo Network) is professional poker player Phil Hellmuth. Are you kidding me?? This is ridiculous. Big mistake. The guy is known even to people who don't play or watch much poker for being a huge spoiled brat, not to mention a jackass. I love to watch him play in tournaments the same way I love to watch a Jim Rome interview. You want to smack him, but he's guaranteed to piss somebody off in a really entertaining way.

Anyway, he sucks on this show. I can report that with no reservations. His whole appeal is that he antagonizes his opponents. Who's he going to piss off now other than his co-host, who is obligated to sit next to him throughout the entire show? I don't see how this can work. It's a shame, too, b/c we'd hate to lose this show if it gets cancelled. That will only leave about 47 other poker shows on cable television. Whatever will we do??

On the bright side, though, they're playing from Harrah's in New Orleans right now, and they're all playing for New Orleans-related charities. Which is nice.