Celebrity Poker Showdown
Celebrity Poker Showdown
A favorite show for the Bravo network that ran from 2003 until 2006, Celebrity Poker Showdown had caught on with the masses who enjoy watching their favorite celebrities battle it out on the felt, each vying for thousands of dollars for their favorite charity. The show is so popular in fact, that Bravo now averages more than one million viewers per episode.
Filmed before a live studio audience in Las Vegas, Celebrity Poker Showdown featured five celebrities per episode playing No Limit Texas Hold’em, competing for a slice of $250,000. Each celebrity is guaranteed at least $5000 for their charity. Fifth place wins $7500, fourth $10,000, third $12,500, second $20,000 and first place gets $100,000. The winners from the first five games then compete for a grand prize in a sixth game.
Viewers can see the action on hidden cameras behind the player’s hands, and get to hear commentary from eliminated players in the “Loser’s Lounge.”
The Hosts:
Dave Foley - New to Celebrity Poker Showdown, Dave Foley is well-known for his days on NewsRadio and history with The Kids in the Hall comedy troupe. He was also the voice of Flik in Disney’s smash-hit movie, “A Bug’s Life.” He brings a light-hearted feel to the show as he interviews the celebrities and co-commentates with poker analyst Phil Gordon.
Phil Gordon - No newcomer to poker, Phil Gordon has taken away almost $1.2 million in tournaments—a third of that by coming in fourth in the 2001 World Series of Poker championship. He’s also won two World Poker Tour tournaments. What many people don’t know about Phil is that he entered college when he was 15-years-old and graduated with a Computer Science degree five years later. It wasn’t long after that when he began working as the lead software engineer at Netsys Technologies, Inc. In just three years, NTI was purchased by Cisco for $95 million and Phil has enjoyed much of the profits. Now he travels the world.
Kevin Pollak - Co-host with Phil Gordon for the first season of Celebrity Poker Showdown, Kevin Pollak is a popular stand-up comedian who got his Hollywood start in George Lucas’ fantasy, “Willow.” Since then, he has appeared in movies such as “A Few Good Men,” “The Usual Suspects,” “Casino,” “Grumpy Old Men” and more.
Past Winners:
Season One
Tournament 1, Game 1
Ben Affleck
Don Cheadle
David Schwimmer
Emily Procter
Willie Garson (Winner)
Tournament 1, Game 2
Timothy Busfield
Allison Janney
Richard Schiff (Winner)
Martin Sheen
John Spencer
Tournament 1, Game 3
Hank Azaria
Michael Ian Black
Peter Facinelli
Mo Gaffney
Nicole Sullivan (Winner)
Tournament 1, Game 4
Coolio
Shannon Elizabeth
Ron Livingston
Paul Rudd (Winner)
Sarah Silverman
Tournament 1, Game 5
David Cross (Winner)
Carrie Fisher
Tom Green
Mimi Rogers
Scott Stapp
Tournament 1, Championship Game
David Cross
Willie Garson
Paul Rudd
Richard Schiff
Nicole Sullivan (Winner)
Season Two
Tournament 2, Game 1
Jerome Bettis
Wanda Sykes
Rosario Dawson (Winner)
Travis Tritt
Mena Suvari
Tournament 2, Game 2
Dule Hill (Winner)
Timothy Busfield
Mo Gaffney
James Woods
Danny Masterson
Tournament 2, Game 3
Jeremy Sisto
Adam Rodriguez
Norm Macdonald
Star Jones
Michael Ian Black (Winner)
Tournament 2, Game 4
Lauren Graham (Winner)
Matthew Perry
Sara Rue
Sean Astin
Christopher Masterson
Tournament 2, Game 5
Michael Ian Black
James Blake
Rosario Dawson
Jon Favreau
Lauren Graham
Dulé Hill
Andy Richter
Tom Everett Scott
Maura Tierney (Winner)
Tournament 2, Championship Game
Michael Ian Black
Rosario Dawson
Lauren Graham
Dulé Hill
Mr. Six
Maura Tierney (Winner)
Season Three
Tournament 3, Game 1
Jerry O'Connel
Willie Garson
Jennie Garth
Richard Kind
Tournament 3, Game 2
Angie Dickinson
Penn Gillette
Jeff Gordon (Winner)
Kathy Griffin
Ron Livingston
Tournament 3, Game 3
Will Arnett
Jason Bateman
David Cross (Winner)
Peter Facinelli
Judy Greer
Tournament 3, Game 4
Michael Badalucco
Bobby Flay
Steve Harris (Winner)
Kathy Najimy
Mimi Rogers
Tournament 3, Game 5
Hank Azaria
Gail O'Grady
Seth Meyers (Winner)
Amy Poehler
Jeffrey Ross
Tournament 3, Championship Game
David Cross
Jeff Gordon
Steve Harris
Seth Meyers (Winner)
Dave Navarro