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Friday, March 06, 2009
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Thursday, March 05, 2009
PKR Springfest 2009
4th March 2009
PKR.com is one of the world's most popular online poker sites. The operator provides 3D poker gaming for customers who can choose their physical appearance, clothing and personality.
PKR will be holding its popular annual Springfest tournament beginning on 14th March, with users playing for the chance to win part of the $360,000 in guaranteed cash as well as a WSOP package.
Springfest attracts all level players and this is one of the reasons for its popularity with many PKR customers. Various tournaments take place with rebuys, double chance games and six seaters all featuring in the event.
The festival will end with a massive $100,000 PKR masters, a $50,000 Sunday class game as well as a Tournament of Champions event, where one player will win a WSOP package worth $12,500.
Neil Wright, Cardroom Manager at PKR said, “Our festivals keep getting bigger and better and Springfest ‘09 is no exception. It’s still extremely accessible for everyone and now we’ve also doubled the duration of the series and added lots more in prizes, making this an event not to be missed.”
To enter the games players will either be able to play through satellite tournaments or buy directly in.
Media Man Australia Profiles
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4th March 2009
PKR.com is one of the world's most popular online poker sites. The operator provides 3D poker gaming for customers who can choose their physical appearance, clothing and personality.
PKR will be holding its popular annual Springfest tournament beginning on 14th March, with users playing for the chance to win part of the $360,000 in guaranteed cash as well as a WSOP package.
Springfest attracts all level players and this is one of the reasons for its popularity with many PKR customers. Various tournaments take place with rebuys, double chance games and six seaters all featuring in the event.
The festival will end with a massive $100,000 PKR masters, a $50,000 Sunday class game as well as a Tournament of Champions event, where one player will win a WSOP package worth $12,500.
Neil Wright, Cardroom Manager at PKR said, “Our festivals keep getting bigger and better and Springfest ‘09 is no exception. It’s still extremely accessible for everyone and now we’ve also doubled the duration of the series and added lots more in prizes, making this an event not to be missed.”
To enter the games players will either be able to play through satellite tournaments or buy directly in.
Media Man Australia Profiles
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Wednesday, March 04, 2009
iMEGA Request to Supplement UIGEA Case Denied by DOJ, by Dan Cypra - Poker News Daily - 3rd March 2009
On Tuesday, the Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association (iMEGA), which is suing to declare the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) unconstitutional, learned that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) denied its request to supplement the record. iMEGA had petitioned to include the complications arising in the New Hampshire and North Dakota state lotteries.
An article that appeared in the Union Leader newspaper in the Northeastern state of New Hampshire noted that a reclassification of lottery purchases by credit card companies caused many of their customers’ transactions to be denied. The newspaper explains that such “sales used to be filed under ‘government service’ by the big card makers, Visa and MasterCard.” Lottery sales in New Hampshire have been down overall given the economy; customers experiencing headaches in order to purchase online subscriptions are undoubtedly exacerbating the issue. A similar issue has also occurred in North Dakota.
In Illinois, lawmakers in the home state of new U.S. President Barack Obama are investigating selling lottery tickets or subscriptions online. However, an Associated Press article also notes that complications are arising from “card companies classifying the subscriptions as a gambling purchase instead of a government service, triggering additional fees and red tape for customers [in other states].” Illinois also has legalized riverboat gambling.
iMEGA Chairman Joe Brennan told Poker News Daily that, as a matter of professional courtesy, it’s customary to ask the other party involved in a legal suit before adding material to the record. Nicholas Bagley, Attorney for the Civil Division of the DOJ, told iMEGA on Monday that the U.S. Government would not give its consent for the additions. Now, the organization must file a motion to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
Brennan explained, “It’s ridiculous because this deals with the real-world impact of the UIGEA. I’m not surprised, though, because this inclusion makes our case for us. Visa and MasterCard have, in their new operating rules, stated that they’re going to over-block lottery transactions even though there is a carve-out in the UIGEA for state lotteries.” iMEGA charges that the UIGEA should be “void for vagueness,” exemplified by Visa and MasterCard’s actions.
The UIGEA’s regulations went into effect on January 19th, 2009. The entire financial services industry, which is in the midst of the worst economy in 80 years, must come into full compliance by December 1st. The regulations of the UIGEA were passed as “midnight rules” by the outgoing Bush Administration. iMEGA’s fight to declare the UIGEA unconstitutional began with the organization being granted standing by Judge Mary L. Cooper of the U.S. District Court of New Jersey last March. In the process, she also disagreed with many of the trade organization’s main points. iMEGA subsequently appealed to the Third Circuit.
Brennan told Poker News Daily that the ability to add evidence to the record hinges on whether “that there has been a change in the rule.” In this case, iMEGA’s brief to the Third Circuit was filed on November 13th, about two weeks prior to the final regulations of the UIGEA being unveiled. In January, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it would not review the Child Online Protection Act (COPA). An Appeals Court stated that technological filters would be sufficient to “protect children from inappropriate content online,” according to the Associated Press, a notion that the Supreme Court agreed with. Brennan summarized, “All of this has occurred since we filed our brief, so of course the Third Circuit would want to consider it. It clearly falls within the definition of supplementing the record.”
iMEGA is also a leading party in a lawsuit involving 141 internet gambling domain names in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. In January, a three judge Court of Appeals panel ruled by a two to one margin that domain names do not constitute “gambling devices” as outlined by Kentucky state law and therefore could not be seized. The State announced its appeal and filed a brief with its Supreme Court. Kentucky’s attorneys had originally asked for 30 more pages in its brief or 10 days to pare it down to the customary 50. The State filed a 56 page brief (64 with the Table of Contents and headers) before the Court responded. Now, it awaits word whether it will have to adjust the length of its brief.
Brennan commented, “This gives us more time to pull brief apart until the Court rules on it.” iMEGA does not have to file a response until the State’s brief is approved. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
Media Man Australia Profiles
Poker News
On Tuesday, the Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association (iMEGA), which is suing to declare the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) unconstitutional, learned that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) denied its request to supplement the record. iMEGA had petitioned to include the complications arising in the New Hampshire and North Dakota state lotteries.
An article that appeared in the Union Leader newspaper in the Northeastern state of New Hampshire noted that a reclassification of lottery purchases by credit card companies caused many of their customers’ transactions to be denied. The newspaper explains that such “sales used to be filed under ‘government service’ by the big card makers, Visa and MasterCard.” Lottery sales in New Hampshire have been down overall given the economy; customers experiencing headaches in order to purchase online subscriptions are undoubtedly exacerbating the issue. A similar issue has also occurred in North Dakota.
In Illinois, lawmakers in the home state of new U.S. President Barack Obama are investigating selling lottery tickets or subscriptions online. However, an Associated Press article also notes that complications are arising from “card companies classifying the subscriptions as a gambling purchase instead of a government service, triggering additional fees and red tape for customers [in other states].” Illinois also has legalized riverboat gambling.
iMEGA Chairman Joe Brennan told Poker News Daily that, as a matter of professional courtesy, it’s customary to ask the other party involved in a legal suit before adding material to the record. Nicholas Bagley, Attorney for the Civil Division of the DOJ, told iMEGA on Monday that the U.S. Government would not give its consent for the additions. Now, the organization must file a motion to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
Brennan explained, “It’s ridiculous because this deals with the real-world impact of the UIGEA. I’m not surprised, though, because this inclusion makes our case for us. Visa and MasterCard have, in their new operating rules, stated that they’re going to over-block lottery transactions even though there is a carve-out in the UIGEA for state lotteries.” iMEGA charges that the UIGEA should be “void for vagueness,” exemplified by Visa and MasterCard’s actions.
The UIGEA’s regulations went into effect on January 19th, 2009. The entire financial services industry, which is in the midst of the worst economy in 80 years, must come into full compliance by December 1st. The regulations of the UIGEA were passed as “midnight rules” by the outgoing Bush Administration. iMEGA’s fight to declare the UIGEA unconstitutional began with the organization being granted standing by Judge Mary L. Cooper of the U.S. District Court of New Jersey last March. In the process, she also disagreed with many of the trade organization’s main points. iMEGA subsequently appealed to the Third Circuit.
Brennan told Poker News Daily that the ability to add evidence to the record hinges on whether “that there has been a change in the rule.” In this case, iMEGA’s brief to the Third Circuit was filed on November 13th, about two weeks prior to the final regulations of the UIGEA being unveiled. In January, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it would not review the Child Online Protection Act (COPA). An Appeals Court stated that technological filters would be sufficient to “protect children from inappropriate content online,” according to the Associated Press, a notion that the Supreme Court agreed with. Brennan summarized, “All of this has occurred since we filed our brief, so of course the Third Circuit would want to consider it. It clearly falls within the definition of supplementing the record.”
iMEGA is also a leading party in a lawsuit involving 141 internet gambling domain names in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. In January, a three judge Court of Appeals panel ruled by a two to one margin that domain names do not constitute “gambling devices” as outlined by Kentucky state law and therefore could not be seized. The State announced its appeal and filed a brief with its Supreme Court. Kentucky’s attorneys had originally asked for 30 more pages in its brief or 10 days to pare it down to the customary 50. The State filed a 56 page brief (64 with the Table of Contents and headers) before the Court responded. Now, it awaits word whether it will have to adjust the length of its brief.
Brennan commented, “This gives us more time to pull brief apart until the Court rules on it.” iMEGA does not have to file a response until the State’s brief is approved. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
Media Man Australia Profiles
Poker News
PKR gears up for Springfest - 3rd March 2009
LONDON, England -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Online poker room PKR.com has announced the return of Springfest. This fantastic series of events kicks off on March 14 and rolls for more then two weeks with over $360,000 in guaranteed prizes and a World Series package to be won.
Designed to appeal to players of varying bankrolls and abilities, the 18 events will give people the chance to test their skills in a wide range of exciting formats. Deep stack and six-seaters, rebuys and double chance tournaments all find their place on the schedule with big prize pools up for grabs.
On top of this, the festival will serve up a memorable finale with the $100,000 PKR Masters and $50,000 Sunday Classic, while the unique Tournament of Champions boasts a $12,500 WSOP Main Event package. Final tables of premium events will also be televised on PKR.tv.
Cardroom Manager Neil Wright said, "Our festivals keep getting bigger and better and Springfest '09 is no exception. It's still extremely accessible for everyone and now we've also doubled the duration of the series and added lots more in prizes, making this an event not to be missed."
Players will be able to buy-in direct or satellite into the biggest Springfest events with qualifying opportunities already up and running in the PKR.com tournament lobby.
Media Man Australia Profiles
PKR.com
World Series of Poker
Poker Tournaments
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LONDON, England -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Online poker room PKR.com has announced the return of Springfest. This fantastic series of events kicks off on March 14 and rolls for more then two weeks with over $360,000 in guaranteed prizes and a World Series package to be won.
Designed to appeal to players of varying bankrolls and abilities, the 18 events will give people the chance to test their skills in a wide range of exciting formats. Deep stack and six-seaters, rebuys and double chance tournaments all find their place on the schedule with big prize pools up for grabs.
On top of this, the festival will serve up a memorable finale with the $100,000 PKR Masters and $50,000 Sunday Classic, while the unique Tournament of Champions boasts a $12,500 WSOP Main Event package. Final tables of premium events will also be televised on PKR.tv.
Cardroom Manager Neil Wright said, "Our festivals keep getting bigger and better and Springfest '09 is no exception. It's still extremely accessible for everyone and now we've also doubled the duration of the series and added lots more in prizes, making this an event not to be missed."
Players will be able to buy-in direct or satellite into the biggest Springfest events with qualifying opportunities already up and running in the PKR.com tournament lobby.
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Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Lineup For 2009 National Heads Up Poker Championship Announced, by Earl Burton - Poker News Daily - 24th February 2009
As players battle it out in Los Angeles at the World Poker Tour’s L. A. Poker Classic, players are also looking forward to the upcoming 2009 National Heads Up Poker Championship, which will be played out from March 5th to the 8th at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. In preparing for what has become one of the most cherished championships in the poker world, officials for Caesars and their broadcast partner NBC have released the list of the 64 players who have been invited to participate in this year’s event.
Yielding perhaps to criticism over player selection in the previous four years of the tournament, the officials of the NHUPC and NBC created a list of criteria for those who would be invited to play in the event. The criteria established included being a former champion of the event, the runner-up in the tournament for the past two years, the players who were in the semi-finals of the previous year, the past three World Series of Poker Main Event champions and last year’s runner-up, multiple bracelet winners of the previous year’s WSOP and the titleholders of the WSOP Player of the Year, the WSOP Heads Up Champion, the WSOP Europe, the WPT Player of the Year, the European Poker Tour Grand Final and the reigning Players of the Year as decided by both CardPlayer and Bluff Magazines.
Just from this criteria alone, the players who have earned an automatic berth into the fifth edition of this tournament - which for the first time will have a sponsor in GoDaddy.com - read like a who’s who of poker. Previous champions Phil Hellmuth (2005), Ted Forrest (2006), Paul Wasicka (2007) and defending champion Chris “Jesus” Ferguson lead a list that, by the criteria established, also includes Andy Bloch, Chad Brown, Huck Seed, Phil Ivey, Scott Fischman, Peter Eastgate, Jerry Yang, Jamie Gold, Ivan Demidov, John Phan, Erick Lindgren, Kenny Tran, John Juanda, Jonathan Little and Glen Chorny. While these players have earned their way in through their performance over the past few years, they have a tremendous challenge in the invited players they will be battling over the four days in Las Vegas.
Former WSOP champions Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, Greg Raymer and Joe Hachem lead a list that also includes PokerStars sponsored players Barry Greenstein and Daniel Negreanu, Full Tilt Poker teammates Howard Lederer, Mike Matusow and Erik Seidel, and first time invitees Gavin Griffin and Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier. The ladies will be represented by Annie Duke, Clonie Gowen, Jennifer Harman, Vanessa Rousso, Vanessa Selbst and actress/poker player Jennifer Tilly. There will also be a celebrity presence with legendary baseball player Orel Hershiser, “High Stakes Poker” announcer Gabe Kaplan and actor Brad Garrett, who will be making his first appearance in the NHUPC.
Caesars Palace has been allotted two satellite qualifiers for the tournament and one of those have already been taken by Jeffrey Ishbia. There will be four online qualifiers as well, with Leon Yanovski already assured of a trip to Las Vegas for the tournament. Overall the tournament should be one of the most competitive in history, with 119 WSOP bracelets, 27 WPT titles and over $290 million in career earnings garnered by the participants vying for the $500,000 first place prize.
The festivities for the 2009 National Heads Up Poker Championship will kick off on March 5th with the draw party being held at Pure, the highly exclusive nightclub on the Caesars Palace grounds. Three days of poker will whittle the field down to the champion and NBC will be there to record all of the action. The broadcast of this year’s NHUPC will start on NBC on April 12th and will work down to the title match over the next six weeks. For a full list of the players that have been invited to participate and details on earning a spot in the tournament through the online qualifiers, visit NBC’s dedicated site for the 2009 National Heads Up Poker Championship. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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As players battle it out in Los Angeles at the World Poker Tour’s L. A. Poker Classic, players are also looking forward to the upcoming 2009 National Heads Up Poker Championship, which will be played out from March 5th to the 8th at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. In preparing for what has become one of the most cherished championships in the poker world, officials for Caesars and their broadcast partner NBC have released the list of the 64 players who have been invited to participate in this year’s event.
Yielding perhaps to criticism over player selection in the previous four years of the tournament, the officials of the NHUPC and NBC created a list of criteria for those who would be invited to play in the event. The criteria established included being a former champion of the event, the runner-up in the tournament for the past two years, the players who were in the semi-finals of the previous year, the past three World Series of Poker Main Event champions and last year’s runner-up, multiple bracelet winners of the previous year’s WSOP and the titleholders of the WSOP Player of the Year, the WSOP Heads Up Champion, the WSOP Europe, the WPT Player of the Year, the European Poker Tour Grand Final and the reigning Players of the Year as decided by both CardPlayer and Bluff Magazines.
Just from this criteria alone, the players who have earned an automatic berth into the fifth edition of this tournament - which for the first time will have a sponsor in GoDaddy.com - read like a who’s who of poker. Previous champions Phil Hellmuth (2005), Ted Forrest (2006), Paul Wasicka (2007) and defending champion Chris “Jesus” Ferguson lead a list that, by the criteria established, also includes Andy Bloch, Chad Brown, Huck Seed, Phil Ivey, Scott Fischman, Peter Eastgate, Jerry Yang, Jamie Gold, Ivan Demidov, John Phan, Erick Lindgren, Kenny Tran, John Juanda, Jonathan Little and Glen Chorny. While these players have earned their way in through their performance over the past few years, they have a tremendous challenge in the invited players they will be battling over the four days in Las Vegas.
Former WSOP champions Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, Greg Raymer and Joe Hachem lead a list that also includes PokerStars sponsored players Barry Greenstein and Daniel Negreanu, Full Tilt Poker teammates Howard Lederer, Mike Matusow and Erik Seidel, and first time invitees Gavin Griffin and Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier. The ladies will be represented by Annie Duke, Clonie Gowen, Jennifer Harman, Vanessa Rousso, Vanessa Selbst and actress/poker player Jennifer Tilly. There will also be a celebrity presence with legendary baseball player Orel Hershiser, “High Stakes Poker” announcer Gabe Kaplan and actor Brad Garrett, who will be making his first appearance in the NHUPC.
Caesars Palace has been allotted two satellite qualifiers for the tournament and one of those have already been taken by Jeffrey Ishbia. There will be four online qualifiers as well, with Leon Yanovski already assured of a trip to Las Vegas for the tournament. Overall the tournament should be one of the most competitive in history, with 119 WSOP bracelets, 27 WPT titles and over $290 million in career earnings garnered by the participants vying for the $500,000 first place prize.
The festivities for the 2009 National Heads Up Poker Championship will kick off on March 5th with the draw party being held at Pure, the highly exclusive nightclub on the Caesars Palace grounds. Three days of poker will whittle the field down to the champion and NBC will be there to record all of the action. The broadcast of this year’s NHUPC will start on NBC on April 12th and will work down to the title match over the next six weeks. For a full list of the players that have been invited to participate and details on earning a spot in the tournament through the online qualifiers, visit NBC’s dedicated site for the 2009 National Heads Up Poker Championship. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Annie Duke Responds to Celebrity Apprentice Critics, by Dan Cypra - Poker News Daily - 2nd March 2009
On Sunday night, the second season of NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice” debuted. The show featured eight men against eight women in a race to see who could raise the most money for charity by selling cupcakes in New York City. In the end, the all-female team emerged victorious. However, poker player Annie Duke, a contestant on the show, received staunch criticism from Project Manager and talk show host Joan Rivers, “Deal or No Deal” model Claudia Jordan, reality star Khloe Kardashian, and Playboy Playmate of the Year Brande Roderick. Duke revealed her reaction to Poker News Daily.
Poker News Daily: Give us your feedback on how your character was portrayed on the season premiere of “Celebrity Apprentice.”
Duke: Is very hard to sit there and have people say shit about you. I understand that this is a business and it’s not about having people like you. Donald Trump votes you off, not your own team. The Celebrity Apprentice is not about making friends.
We had six hours to bake 1,000 cupcakes. You have to get it done and Joan Rivers, our Project Manager, put me in charge of the kitchen. I was clear about what needed to be done. I had it organized and knew how it needed to go. I wanted to get on the show and make sure that Trump knew me. The bigger the celebrity, the more you are in his eyes. I’m not a big mainstream celebrity, so I needed to make noise right away.
It’s just like poker. You don’t raise because you want to raise. There has to be a reason for what you’re doing. I needed to get noticed, but also needed to do it with a purpose. In that sense, I’m playing a game. I’m intense when I’m at the poker table, but who I am at in that setting is not who I am in real life. Away from the game, I’m very smiley.
PND: React to some of the comments given by Jordan, Rivers, Kardashian, and Roderick.
Duke: It’s very difficult on the national stage to see people say nasty things about me. Obviously I’m a strong woman, I’m very direct. I’m used to dealing with that on a personal level and I’ve learned not to care about it. It’s hard to watch it on the national stage.
Then, I think about it logically. Here’s Claudia criticizing me, but what did she do? She didn’t decorate the truck. That was Melissa Rivers. She didn’t bake the cupcakes. What did she do that she felt the need to criticize me?
Then they showed Brande criticizing me and Khloe criticizing me. Did they not understand you had to raise money and get these cupcakes made? I didn’t care what anyone said about me. For me, it was about winning the task. Right after Brande and I fought, we immediately made up, but it wasn’t televised. In general, I appreciate someone telling me to my face if they have constructive criticism. I said to her, “We’re both really tired. I was on my feet baking cupcakes and I’m sorry I allowed that to show.” We were friendly after that. Brande was the rock star on that task. She worked hard. They don’t have any private interviews with her talking shit about me.
Similarly, they don’t have any clips of me talking shit about anyone because I didn’t. There’s no guessing with me. There’s no wondering if I’m saying one thing to your face and another thing behind your back. People aren’t used to that. People prefer other people not to be direct. That’s what I appreciate about Brande.
PND: Talk about the argument with Roderick, who wanted to sell a flat of cupcakes to a donor. You were worried about the inventory running out.
Duke: We did run out of cupcakes and it was right after selling a whole flat. I knew the donor was going to hand her the $9,000 check for just one cupcake. Brande realized where I was coming from in the end. I can’t say that they edited me badly. I thought they gave an accurate portrayal of me. They showed me working hard, raising money, and being direct.
PND: Talk about your reaction to Joan Rivers’ comment about your leadership style, “Mussolini made the trains run on time, but no Italian smiled at him when they got on and off.”
Duke: It’s painful. Joan was Project Manager. I didn’t see her doing a lot of leading except that she suggested our team name should be “Ball-Busters.” If our team loses, she’s on the hot seat. Two people made sure that her ass wasn’t on the line, Brande and I. We raised enough money to beat the guys by ourselves. I made sure as manager of the kitchen that it all got done. If I were Joan, I wouldn’t be criticizing me. The Mussolini comment didn’t acknowledge the work I put in and comparing anyone on Celebrity Apprentice to the person who committed one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century is offensive. It trivializes that man’s actions.
PND: Describe the purpose of Refugees International, your chosen charity. How does it relate to Ante Up for Africa, which you founded?
Duke: Refugees International is a long-standing charity. Ante Up for Africa raises money, but doesn’t give it directly to people. Instead, we partner with charities that we know are doing amazing things. Refugees International is one of those. It’s an advocacy group for refugees around the world. There are over 40 million refugees who are displaced, living in tents and camps with no water.
It’s hard for people to care about that because what is happening here [in the United States] is awful. However, we have very high-class problems in comparison to someone in a refugee camp. From a political standpoint, there is no doubt that the more refugees there are, the more political instability there is in the world. That’s what Refugees International is about. Only 7% of the money raised goes towards administrative fees. They do not take any government money, which is important because an organization like that has to be neutral. They don’t have any political pressure to ignore people.
PND: How have poker players perceived the show?
Duke: We don’t take anything personally. When a friend of ours check-raises us all-in and makes us fold, you go have dinner with them. Poker players are good at compartmentalizing. What happens in the business setting is never personal. I’ve had to play that way against my brother [Howard Lederer]. I’m guessing that poker players bought what I did better than others. They understood I was playing a game. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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On Sunday night, the second season of NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice” debuted. The show featured eight men against eight women in a race to see who could raise the most money for charity by selling cupcakes in New York City. In the end, the all-female team emerged victorious. However, poker player Annie Duke, a contestant on the show, received staunch criticism from Project Manager and talk show host Joan Rivers, “Deal or No Deal” model Claudia Jordan, reality star Khloe Kardashian, and Playboy Playmate of the Year Brande Roderick. Duke revealed her reaction to Poker News Daily.
Poker News Daily: Give us your feedback on how your character was portrayed on the season premiere of “Celebrity Apprentice.”
Duke: Is very hard to sit there and have people say shit about you. I understand that this is a business and it’s not about having people like you. Donald Trump votes you off, not your own team. The Celebrity Apprentice is not about making friends.
We had six hours to bake 1,000 cupcakes. You have to get it done and Joan Rivers, our Project Manager, put me in charge of the kitchen. I was clear about what needed to be done. I had it organized and knew how it needed to go. I wanted to get on the show and make sure that Trump knew me. The bigger the celebrity, the more you are in his eyes. I’m not a big mainstream celebrity, so I needed to make noise right away.
It’s just like poker. You don’t raise because you want to raise. There has to be a reason for what you’re doing. I needed to get noticed, but also needed to do it with a purpose. In that sense, I’m playing a game. I’m intense when I’m at the poker table, but who I am at in that setting is not who I am in real life. Away from the game, I’m very smiley.
PND: React to some of the comments given by Jordan, Rivers, Kardashian, and Roderick.
Duke: It’s very difficult on the national stage to see people say nasty things about me. Obviously I’m a strong woman, I’m very direct. I’m used to dealing with that on a personal level and I’ve learned not to care about it. It’s hard to watch it on the national stage.
Then, I think about it logically. Here’s Claudia criticizing me, but what did she do? She didn’t decorate the truck. That was Melissa Rivers. She didn’t bake the cupcakes. What did she do that she felt the need to criticize me?
Then they showed Brande criticizing me and Khloe criticizing me. Did they not understand you had to raise money and get these cupcakes made? I didn’t care what anyone said about me. For me, it was about winning the task. Right after Brande and I fought, we immediately made up, but it wasn’t televised. In general, I appreciate someone telling me to my face if they have constructive criticism. I said to her, “We’re both really tired. I was on my feet baking cupcakes and I’m sorry I allowed that to show.” We were friendly after that. Brande was the rock star on that task. She worked hard. They don’t have any private interviews with her talking shit about me.
Similarly, they don’t have any clips of me talking shit about anyone because I didn’t. There’s no guessing with me. There’s no wondering if I’m saying one thing to your face and another thing behind your back. People aren’t used to that. People prefer other people not to be direct. That’s what I appreciate about Brande.
PND: Talk about the argument with Roderick, who wanted to sell a flat of cupcakes to a donor. You were worried about the inventory running out.
Duke: We did run out of cupcakes and it was right after selling a whole flat. I knew the donor was going to hand her the $9,000 check for just one cupcake. Brande realized where I was coming from in the end. I can’t say that they edited me badly. I thought they gave an accurate portrayal of me. They showed me working hard, raising money, and being direct.
PND: Talk about your reaction to Joan Rivers’ comment about your leadership style, “Mussolini made the trains run on time, but no Italian smiled at him when they got on and off.”
Duke: It’s painful. Joan was Project Manager. I didn’t see her doing a lot of leading except that she suggested our team name should be “Ball-Busters.” If our team loses, she’s on the hot seat. Two people made sure that her ass wasn’t on the line, Brande and I. We raised enough money to beat the guys by ourselves. I made sure as manager of the kitchen that it all got done. If I were Joan, I wouldn’t be criticizing me. The Mussolini comment didn’t acknowledge the work I put in and comparing anyone on Celebrity Apprentice to the person who committed one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century is offensive. It trivializes that man’s actions.
PND: Describe the purpose of Refugees International, your chosen charity. How does it relate to Ante Up for Africa, which you founded?
Duke: Refugees International is a long-standing charity. Ante Up for Africa raises money, but doesn’t give it directly to people. Instead, we partner with charities that we know are doing amazing things. Refugees International is one of those. It’s an advocacy group for refugees around the world. There are over 40 million refugees who are displaced, living in tents and camps with no water.
It’s hard for people to care about that because what is happening here [in the United States] is awful. However, we have very high-class problems in comparison to someone in a refugee camp. From a political standpoint, there is no doubt that the more refugees there are, the more political instability there is in the world. That’s what Refugees International is about. Only 7% of the money raised goes towards administrative fees. They do not take any government money, which is important because an organization like that has to be neutral. They don’t have any political pressure to ignore people.
PND: How have poker players perceived the show?
Duke: We don’t take anything personally. When a friend of ours check-raises us all-in and makes us fold, you go have dinner with them. Poker players are good at compartmentalizing. What happens in the business setting is never personal. I’ve had to play that way against my brother [Howard Lederer]. I’m guessing that poker players bought what I did better than others. They understood I was playing a game. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
Media Man Australia Profiles
Annie Duke
Reality TV
Poker News
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Media Man Australia Top Three Poker Companies - February 2009
Australian based media and publicity company, Media Man Australia, has announced that for the month of February 2009, the following are voted as the world's top 3 online poker rooms based on usability, ethics, customer feedback, customer service, affiliate experience and overall customer experience:
Media Man Australia Profiles
PartyPoker.com
PKR Poker
Virgin Poker
*results do not include poker tour brands such as World Series of Poker, World Poker Tour, Asian Poker Tour, Aussie Millions, Canadian Poker Tour and Irish Poker Tour
Australian based media and publicity company, Media Man Australia, has announced that for the month of February 2009, the following are voted as the world's top 3 online poker rooms based on usability, ethics, customer feedback, customer service, affiliate experience and overall customer experience:
Media Man Australia Profiles
PartyPoker.com
PKR Poker
Virgin Poker
*results do not include poker tour brands such as World Series of Poker, World Poker Tour, Asian Poker Tour, Aussie Millions, Canadian Poker Tour and Irish Poker Tour
Online Satellites Begin at Party Poker for the 2009 Canadian Open Poker Championships
18th February 2009
The Canadian Poker Tour, owned and operated by HeadsUp Entertainment International Inc., is pleased to announce that exclusive online satellites have begun at Party Poker to qualify for the Main Event of the Canadian Open Poker Championships. The event will be held at the Stampede Casino in Calgary, Alberta, May 13-17, 2009. As one of Canada's premier poker tournaments the event will be televised on The Score Television Network, official broadcaster of the Canadian Poker Tour.
With a series of events running throughout the week, over $1,000,000 in estimated prize pools will be up for grabs cumulating with the 128 player, $5000 buy in, heads up main event. Last year's event attracted professional poker players and celebrities from around the world and this year looks to be even bigger and better. "This is best structure of any heads up event I have played in", commented 2005 WSOP Champion Joe Hachem.
As the official online partner of the Canadian Poker Tour, players can qualify for as little as $4 at Party Poker to earn a package including travel, accommodations and buy in to the Main Event. "This is a terrific opportunity for players around the world to compete in what I believe to be the purest form of the game" stated President and CEO Kelly B. Kellner. "The heads up bracket format with best 2 out of 3 matches, $10,000 in starting chips and 20 minute blinds allows the cream to rise to the top and I look forward to crowning a new champion in May." Last years Main Event was won by 1996 WSOP Champion Huckleberry Seed.
For more details on the event please go to www.canadianpokertour.tv and to enter to qualify for the event online all details can be found at www.partypoker.com.
About HeadsUp Entertainment International Inc.
HeadsUp Entertainment International Inc. is a global media and entertainment company engaged in the creation of branded entertainment through the development, production and marketing of televised programming based on poker and other entertainment themes. For more information see the Company's website www.headsupentertainment.com.
Media Man Australia Profiles
Canadian Poker Tour
PartyPoker.com
PartyCasino.com
18th February 2009
The Canadian Poker Tour, owned and operated by HeadsUp Entertainment International Inc., is pleased to announce that exclusive online satellites have begun at Party Poker to qualify for the Main Event of the Canadian Open Poker Championships. The event will be held at the Stampede Casino in Calgary, Alberta, May 13-17, 2009. As one of Canada's premier poker tournaments the event will be televised on The Score Television Network, official broadcaster of the Canadian Poker Tour.
With a series of events running throughout the week, over $1,000,000 in estimated prize pools will be up for grabs cumulating with the 128 player, $5000 buy in, heads up main event. Last year's event attracted professional poker players and celebrities from around the world and this year looks to be even bigger and better. "This is best structure of any heads up event I have played in", commented 2005 WSOP Champion Joe Hachem.
As the official online partner of the Canadian Poker Tour, players can qualify for as little as $4 at Party Poker to earn a package including travel, accommodations and buy in to the Main Event. "This is a terrific opportunity for players around the world to compete in what I believe to be the purest form of the game" stated President and CEO Kelly B. Kellner. "The heads up bracket format with best 2 out of 3 matches, $10,000 in starting chips and 20 minute blinds allows the cream to rise to the top and I look forward to crowning a new champion in May." Last years Main Event was won by 1996 WSOP Champion Huckleberry Seed.
For more details on the event please go to www.canadianpokertour.tv and to enter to qualify for the event online all details can be found at www.partypoker.com.
About HeadsUp Entertainment International Inc.
HeadsUp Entertainment International Inc. is a global media and entertainment company engaged in the creation of branded entertainment through the development, production and marketing of televised programming based on poker and other entertainment themes. For more information see the Company's website www.headsupentertainment.com.
Media Man Australia Profiles
Canadian Poker Tour
PartyPoker.com
PartyCasino.com
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