As with many people in the US, Sarah and I are getting into poker. We’re not into it as much as some of our friends, but we’re working on being better. Two of the things that feed our addiction are the World Poker Tour on the Travel Channel and Celebrity Poker Showdown on Bravo. We end up watching the celebrities more, if only because I have a heterosexual man-crush on Phil Gordon.
Anyway, in my morning reading of the paper, I came across the article `Poker’ a good bet for Bravo. It talks about how Celebrity Poker Showdown was renewed for a third seasons (hooray!) but mentioned a change in sponsorship.
Until last week, wireless phone company Cingular was the sponsor of the $250,000 charity pot, but it pulled its sponsorship after expressing dismay at the fact that the players drink on camera and occasionally curse.
They did know they were sponsoring a poker tournament, right? I have no idea why they’d be shocked by drinking and swearing. Also, no one EVER drinks while on a cell phone nor do they ever swear while on one. Maybe the 1950s started again and no one told me. In any case, a new sponsor wasn’t mentioned in the article, but I’m sure they’ll find a new sponsor quickly.
Next thing you know, they’ll figure out that people cuss and drink at hockey and football games too.
Hockey and Football are sanctioned by God. Poker is a false idol of the latte-drinking Clinton types. Cingular doesn’t care, except when the Christians crank up their ire. “Drinking on camera is bad? Gosh, well, we would hate to be painted as un-American, so we’ll withdraw our support of the Queer Eye Network!”