The TOKE: Poker Zombies, A Bunch of Wild Cards, + Will Pokerdome Save Televised Poker?

:: Poker zombies claim writer's husband.  Wicked Chops Poker are the lucky ones.  Our wives not only never complain about us playing poker, they actually encourage it (probably because they benefit from the fruits of our winnings).  So we feel sorry for the husband of poor LA Daily News columnists Jillian O'Conner.  She's so over the poker fad, she's written an article claiming that poker zombies have snatched her husband.  Let this be a warning to all of you young lads who think your current girlfriend is "the one."  If she ain't into poker, it ain't gonna work.  LA Daily Zombies

:: Cards Gone Wild.  Calvin Ayre's Wild Card Poker debuted last night with an interesting (and mostly entertaining) mix of cards, babes, partying, and over-indulgent self-promotional grandeur (would you expect anything less from Ayre?).  At the table, Cheryl Hines (at right) rode a timely flopped Ac-Kc nut flush against Humberto Brenes (among other hands) to victory, besting Erick Lindgren and then some other people you probably don't care about.  The vibe of the show did much more accurately capture the "Rat Pack" vibe Ayre is aiming for with the Bodog brand than, say, the Arieh-Williams-Ng photoshoot.  And on that note, check back within the next few days for more of our thoughts on the infamous shoot. Gambling 911

:: Pokerdome to save sagging ratings?  Some rag called The New York Times has a fantastic article detailing the peaks and valleys from the past few years in the world of poker.  From the rise and fall of ratings for television shows (like the soon-to-premiere Pokerdome), to the rapid expansion (that will be much less rapid in the next few years) of online poker site profits, the recap is definitely worth a read.  The New York Times