Tonight's Las Vegas - Howard Lederer, Cheating in Poker

[tonypaladino]

Wow.

I'm amazed that Howard Lederer guest starred in an episode about someone being able to cheat a WPT-like event. It seems like a show like this would perpetuate a negative view of poker.

[lighterjobs]

i saw this.

i was pretty suprised that he would do something like this, also. pretty weird.

[SheridanCat]

Seriously? $$$$.

Regards,

T

[Dominic]

yeah, because the public always turns to "Las Vegas" when it wants to know the truth about gaming, poker and ridiculously hot broads who run casinos.

[coffeecrazy1]

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yeah, because the public always turns to "Las Vegas" when it wants to know the truth about gaming, poker and ridiculously hot broads who run casinos.

[/ QUOTE ]

Dom...I hate to say it, but yes...this is correct, to a point. I had a thirty-minute argument(which would have been much longer, if I hadn't realized I was wasting my time) last night about the fact that poker is different from gambling because you can have a winning expectation in one. The person I was arguing with was not an idiot, either...in fact, her father owned a poker room...but she was convinced that "all gamblers lose eventually," no matter what I argued.

Five years ago, this kind of show wouldn't have been a problem...but poker's in the spotlight now...it's moving to the mainstream, and if we have any shot of maintaining legitimacy and staying power(which I think we have), it does not do well to have one of our best players portrayed as a cheat, because it plays into the stereotype.

I hate that people are stupid, Dom...but it's the reality. It doesn't mean we have to excuse it, but it does mean we shouldn't make ourselves such easy targets.

[SheridanCat]

In fact, poker is gambling. And, in the long run, most poker players are losing players.

Regards,

T

[MaxPower]

The episode did not portray Howard Lederer as a cheat. It portrayed the school teacher who beat Howard Lederer as a cheat.

Plus there was the guy Mike who uncovered the cheating. He represents those like you who love poker and are concerned about its honesty.

But Dominic is right, this show is cheap entertainment on the level of Fantasy Island or The Love Boat. It is fun and not meant to be taken seriously. People are constantly getting beaten up and robbed on that show and I don't think anyone in Vegas is concerned about the image it potrays. It is fiction.

[samjjones]

FWIW, Howard's acting was quite bad. On the other hand, I caught that Full Tilt show he does immediately after this, and he is quite engaging there.

[MaxPower]

Actually there was one thing that made Howard look bad in the espisode. He offered to stake Mike for $10,000 in the no limit game even though Mike is a losing player and has a gambling problem. Negative EV decision for Lederer /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[coffeecrazy1]

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In fact, poker is gambling. And, in the long run, most poker players are losing players.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is not something I deny...in fact, it's something I count on. But there is a difference between most and all. My friend insisted upon using "all."

[SheridanCat]

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This is not something I deny...in fact, it's something I count on. But there is a difference between most and all. My friend insisted upon using "all."

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Ah, okay, well, he's wrong. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[MCS]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

This is not something I deny...in fact, it's something I count on. But there is a difference between most and all. My friend insisted upon using "all."

[/ QUOTE ]

Ah, okay, well, he's wrong. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

And also female.

[coffeecrazy1]

Fair enough.

And I misunderstood the report...having not seen the episode personally...I thought Lederer was the cheat. Nevermind the rantings of a crazed coffee junkie then.

[Punker]

In season 1, there is a poker episode that features Mike heavily and he is not portrayed as a losing player at all - he seems to be quite good.

[Rockatansky]

[ QUOTE ]
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This is not something I deny...in fact, it's something I count on. But there is a difference between most and all. My friend insisted upon using "all."

[/ QUOTE ]

Ah, okay, well, he's wrong. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

And also female.

[/ QUOTE ]

These two things tend to have a very high correlation.

[slamdunkpro]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm amazed that Howard Lederer guest starred in an episode about someone being able to cheat a WPT-like event. It seems like a show like this would perpetuate a negative view of poker.

[/ QUOTE ]

Other than the cheater aspect I thought it was quite interesting about how they tried to portray WPT like events in that:

They kept putting it out the the hotel put up the prize money vs a player entry fee and...

The impression that the commentary is live

[poker327]

[ QUOTE ]
Other than the cheater aspect I thought it was quite interesting about how they tried to portray WPT like events in that:

They kept putting it out the the hotel put up the prize money vs a player entry fee and...

The impression that the commentary is live

[/ QUOTE ]

Also if the hotel spent $10 million for the prize pool, they could better spend the money advertising the hotel by buying up an hour of primetime and airing an infomercial about the hotel instead of just having a poker tournament.