Hollywood and Poker: The Perfect Match

The world of poker has definitely reached the pinnacle of success since its humble beginnings. The popularity of the game, along with many of its variants, has crossed the barriers of social status, venues of all sorts, international inclinations and now it has taken a different path that is of Hollywood.

Celebrities in the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Toby Maguire and Ben Affleck have embraced poker as part of their leisure activity which proves that this game appeals to the younger generations of today. Furthermore, it is quite a match made in heaven, for the popularity of poker is being propelled effortlessly by the celebrities.

The Bravo TV show, Celebrity Poker Showdown has definitely made huge publicity. The concept of playing poker for charity further pushed the game up a notch, with millions of viewers world wide, who wouldn’t want a game of poker or Texas Hold’em when your favorite star is playing it on TV.

True indeed, Hollywood has been taken over by poker. The latest craze is No Limit Texas Hold’em; the venue is somewhere in Beverly Hills and the schedule falls every Friday night. Win or lose, there is always a high profile celebrity to join the Friday tournament.

Poker parties have also appealed to many of the famous faces in Hollywood; Jennifer Aniston, George Clooney and David Schwimmer have held and hosted poker parties in their homes. The most highly sought poker party host is James Woods, who organizes weekly poker parties. In order to be in the magic circle, players are required to ante a maximum of $5000.

Seems the celebrities do have an advantage in playing poker especially when it comes to tournaments. When the director of American Pie and About a Boy, Chris Weitz, joined a Hollywood poker tournament his competitors at the top table were winners of different elimination rounds. But when it comes to celebrities, the rules just don’t apply; they can sit at the top table and compete for the $50000 grand prize, eliminated or not.

Celebrity players have their own taste of defeat even though they seem to have all the odds favored to them. When James Woods competed for a $1 million tournament in the Mexican Riviera, he lost the game to his professional opponents.

Another celebrity poker event that surely helped catapult the game’s popularity is the E! Hollywood Hold’em. This show features celebrities in their worst and finest moments while playing poker in their homes in the hopes of getting the best hand to win the $10000 pot.

Most of the time the celebrities are not-so-good players so just imagine how the game and the show progresses over time. There is just no better way of promoting poker, but through Hollywood. The game conquered Hollywood and the celebrities just can’t get enough of it. Surely when celebrities work, fans will follow. It’s such a perfect and successful tandem, just like an all time Hollywood movie.