Hellmuth Hosts, Alexander Aces Celebrity Poker Showdown

In all likelihood, our readers do not watch Celebrity Poker Showdown. 

In fact, like many other once popular Bravo shows, less and less people have been watching CPS in general.  Bravo has a knack for sending once great shows to premature graves.

But with American Idol idle until January and only being able to find Lost re-runs on the tube, the timing was right to check out the new season of CPS.  Plus, it moved locales from the uber-mctwistian-trendy Palms in Vegas to one of WCP's favorite cities, New Orleans.  Plus plus Phil Hellmuth took over co-hosting reigns from that other tall Phil, Gordon. 

Some thoughts...

But first, let's get this out there: we're Phil Hellmuth fans.  After watching him in action at the WSOP ME last year, it's hard not to be.  Very entertaining guy, plus he's got 9 WSOP bracelets, so even if you're one of those who hate the player, it's really hard to hate the game. 

With that said, what the hell was that dangling piece of hair in the middle of Hellmuth's head?  How did the make-up person or whoever is in charge of making sure the host's hair isn't dangling oddly in the host's face allow a pig-tail curl to dangle in the host's face?  Inexcusable.  Or unexcusable.  There is no excuse.

Hellmuth ably provided the guidance and advice you'd expect from a 9-time bracelet winner and former world champion.  He didn't have the passion for providing chip counts that Gordon did, however, and one could tell there is room for improvement between the chemistry and rapport of that little Keebler elf, David Foley.

What else...Jason Alexander won.  He kept massaging the dealer at the end as he overcame a huge chip disadvantage heads-up against Bryan Cranston to eventually winzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

What time is it?  Fell asleep. 

[Yawn]

[Stretch]

[Hit Publish Button]

Comments

[Chops]

Yeah, that sums it up well II-Pod. Probably a better review than mine, actually. Thanks.

[II-Pod (from the 4SPT)]

Thanks for the review. I also watched it and I thought Hellmuth did a good job, albeit he looked a bit odd without the "PH" cap, shades and massive headphones concealing him (like Darth Vader unmasked in Return of the Jedi). His commentary was often positive and he did a good job explaining *why* he thinks the players should make certain maneuvers. Jason Alexander was downright obnoxious (a trait of a good poker player, but annoying as hell on TV). While Susie Essman was surprisingly NOT obnoxious. It would have been nice to see Bryan Cranston take it down, though. Overall, I think it was better than the Palms version. I will be interested to see more episodes.