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 E! Hollywood Holdem,
a weekly series on the E! Network, premiered St. Patrick's Day 2005. The show is a mix of
Hollywood Home Game (put on by the World
Poker Tour) and MTV Cribs. Ted Harbert, the president and CEO of E! Networks said, "The series offers the fun and challenge of cards,
but will also give viewers a unique glimpse into the lives and homes of some of today's top young stars."
Phil Laak, host and dealer of the game, starts the show
by approaching the door of one of Hollywood's finest. The celebrity takes Phil and the camera crew on a tour of the house. The viewer gets
to see many of the bedrooms, the backyard (usually a pool), the refrigerator and its contents and more. Some serious poker players might not
like this added touch to the program, but I enjoy it. It is always nice to see how celebrities live.
After the tour, the actor shows Phil where the poker game is going to be played. He will introduce the players and gives a little background on
each. There are normally two celebrity friends and two not-so-famous buddies. Some of the celebrities that have made appearances are Laura Prepon
(That 70s Show), Danny Masterson (That 70's Show), Chris Masterson (Malcolm in the Middle), Macaulay Culkin (Home Alone),
Mila Kunis (American Psycho II), Wilmer Valderrama (That 70s Show), Dave Navarro (guitarist for Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jane's Addiction and
Shannon Elizabeth (American Pie). Depending on the guests (and
the viewers tastes), some shows are more fun to watch than others. One viewer might like two girls (Shannon Elizabeth and her best friend) kissing in
between a hand, others might like when players show better than average skill like
James Woods and
Vince Van Patten did. Viewers might also get a kick out of the table chat
that is going on during the show. The players talk trash to each other and spread a little gossip. One episode, Phil got the third degree about his
girlfriend/ actress/2005 World Series of Poker Ladies event champion,
Jennifer Tilly. Regardless of your preference, you will enjoy at least
something on each show.
The tournament is a freeze-out
structure with the winner taking home the grand prize of $10,000 cash.
The limits move up in slow increments so we get to see some post flop play. We also get to listen to Phil's advice throughout the tournament. He does not
give players advice while they are in the hand, but it is not uncommon to hear him give a few basic suggestions. I remember one piece of advice being that
if you are going to put in a raise and it was going to be half of your stack or more, then you should just move all-in. He will also give percentages to the
underdog in the hand. After the flop, he might tell a player,
"You have a 30% of getting there. Not only do we get to hear some of his advice while the tournament is going on, we get to see segments where Phil
teaches "Phil Laak Wannabes" how to play poker. The wannabes are dressed like Phil normally dresses when he is playing in tournaments. They
sport grey hooded sweatshirts and dark sunglasses. The information is good, but it is geared a little more towards the beginner to intermediate player.
Laura Prepon (pictured), who plays Donna on the Fox's That 70's Show, Flutie Entertainment, Sara Chazen and Joel Klein are Executive Producers
of the series. This is Laura's second shot at producing. The first was as Executive Producer of Lightning Bug, a drama/thriller. Laura is one
celebrity who has been bitten by the poker bug. She played in the 2004 World Series of Poker and is often spotted at the
Bicycle Casino. I have seen her come in the Bike a couple times with her boyfriend,
Chris Masterson and his brother, Danny Masterson. I would imagine that we can count on seeing one or more of them at future World Series' of Poker. |
