The Toke: Poker Movies are Original, Long Live the Gutshot, Playboy Poker Not for You, WPT Dishes New Game + Staying Up for Shana

:: Poker movies are so original. Pierce Brosnan (loved ya in the Matador) will team with casino owner Phil Maloof to star in a film adaptation of the novel "The Big Biazarro," which is about a veteran poker player who mentors a stubborn yet talented protege, which sounds just like the upcoming poker movie Deal, which stars Burt Reynolds as a veteran poker player who mentors a stubborn yet talented protege who he ends up meeting at a WPT final table, which sounds a lot like Lucky You, a film about a veteran poker player and his stubborn yet talented son who he ends up meeting at the final table of the WSOP. And they all sound like The Color of Money. So if you're wondering why your screenplay about a poker player who ___ (fill in with totally unique poker oriented film plot) hasn't piqued the interest of Hollywood producers, it's because it wasnt original like those above. - Starpulse.com

:: Long live the Gutshot! Gutshot owner Derek Kelly, who was convicted recently for violating the UK's 1968 Gaming Act, has announced he will appeal the verdict against him and that the Gutshot will remain open. - PokerNews.com

:: Playboy launches online gambling site for everyone but kids and Americans. Playboy, whose Playmate of the Month is Jayde Nicole (seen in photo with clothes on, unlike here - NSFW), has just launched a new online poker and casino gaming site that offers players the chance to party with Hef as well as a few bunny pics here and there (pretty weak actually) but doesn't permit people under 18 to play, of course, or any American players, because we're children. Playboygaming.com/

:: WPT dishes new TV poker game that only works when it's sunny outside. The World Poker Tour Interactive TV Edition is now available to anyone with Dish Network's DishGAMES subscription service. The game allows players, when there's not a single cloud in the sky and nothing else is good on tv, the chance to challenge virtual poker pros like David Williams, Antonio Esfandiari, Michael Mizrachi, and Evelyn Ng. - CardPlayer.com

:: Insomniacs staying up for "Poker After Dark." "Poker After Dark," NBC’s late night poker show hosted by WCP fave Shana Hiatt, reportedly has out-rated Craig Ferguson in the 18 - 34 demo and was only a tenth of a point behind ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel show last week even though "Poker After Dark" airs two hours later than Kimmel and 90 minutes later than Ferguson. If anyone out there actually watches Craig Ferguson, please contact us for a study we're doing on people who watch shows we think nobody watches. The good news is that "Poker After Dark"'s rating success should mean that a Maxim or Stuff spread for Hiatt is in the near future, and if it's not, please hire us. - BodogBeat.com