Poker has hit its peak

[MaxPower]

I was just watching David Letterman and Whoopi Goldberg was talking about how much she loves playing Texas Holdem. Dave asked her what the appeal of Texas Holdem is and Whoopi said that it isn't a game of skill - its all chance and bluffing.

[baggins]

that's beautiful. i always knew whoopi was a moron.

[M2d]

isn't admitting that "it's all chance and bluffing" a defacto endorsement for skill? after all, you have to bluff at the right time. forget trivial little things like starting hands and gaining bets.

[andyfox]

Doesn't look like Ms.Goldberg will soon be moving up on David's list of people who could make $100,000 a year playing mid-limit hold 'em.

[andyfox]

She might be ignorant about poker, but that hardly qualifies her as a moron.

David bragged a while back that, thanks to Mason, he would make more money this year than the President of the United States. I venture that Ms. Goldberg will make quite a bit more than that per week on her new TV sitcom. I suppose that doesn't mean she's not a moron either, but it does at least suggest that she's not.

[MMMMMM]

But andy there may be a lot of "morons" in the entertainment industry who do very well due to charisma and the fact that stars simply get paid gazillions of dollars. So in most professions I would agree with your assessment but in the entertainment industry anyone could be a "moron" and still get rich if they had sufficient charisma. Not that I think she's a moron; I have virtually no knowledge of her and have never watched anything she did on film except for a brief very minor and unimpressive role on a Star Trek series. Great financial success in most industries or professions does significantly lower the chances someone may be a "moron" but I think this efffect is far less pronounced in the entertainment industry when it comes to popular stars. Take a look at Tom Cruise and a few others...they are Scientologists...what the heck? How can any rational human being be a Scientologist? God bless them and I hope they do well but stardom does not mean you can think anywhere near straight.

[Rushmore]

Take a look at Tom Cruise and a few others...they are Scientologists...what the heck? How can any rational human being be a Scientologist?

As much as I agree with much of what you say, let us not confuse irrationality and stupidity.

Because if these two traits are the same, I have dated nothing but utterly imbecilic women in my life.

P.S. One could, of course, make an argument that any religious belief is moronic, in that it requires a leap of faith (see: Abraham, Isaac, etc.), and therefore defies reason (see: Kierkegaard). We can always and easily define that which defies reason as "moronic" or "irrational," but it certainly wouldn't be in keeping with the Judeo-Christian ethic upon which Western Civilization is based.

That said, I do believe that L. Ron Hubbard was a charlatan science fiction writer who never did anything for anyone other than glaze over the eyes of some of our least talented celebrities. Volcanoes and "body-thetans," indeed!

[MaxPower]

Most people play poker for fun and to socialize, that doesn't make them morons. I think that is pretty smart.

[Rushmore]

Although it doesn't make them morons, let's keep things in the context to which we should all implicitly subscribe:

Want fun? Go to Six Flags.

Want socialization? Join the Cub Scouts.

[Al Mirpuri]

Can anyone explain David Letterman's success? He is just a grey man doing not so great chat. I've just starting watching him over here in the UK and I am not impressed.

[MMMMMM]

Good point that irrationality and stupidity can be two different things.

I'm not so certain that any religious belief requires a leap of faith. While I hold no religious affiliation, in my studies it seemed that the original ("Theravada") Buddhism was as close to a philosophy without faith as one might get (especially in that age). For a very good uncluttered exposition one might read Walpola Rahula's What The Buddha Taught.

Regarding dating irrational women, a good friend of mine once said that they're all nuts;-) He meant it, too. In my personal experience, though, the jury's still out...

[baggins]

you don't have to be a brain surgeon to cash a pay check...

[tiltboy]

Al, he's been doing that same show for 20+ years so it's probably gotten a bit stale. I know I very rarely watch him anymore. Believe me though, for a while Dave was da bomb. I especially liked the period way back when Chris Elliot was on the show. REM did I think their only TV show appearance back on Dave's show when it was on NBC (may not be your cup of tea but I like their music). I wouldn't judge Pete Sampras on how he did last year and I wouldn't judge how good Dave was based on what you see now.

</$.02>

[lefty rosen]

ROFLMAO...............

[thetman]

Whoopi won't be winning any IQ contests.

[Andy B]

[ QUOTE ]
Want socialization? Join the Cub Scouts.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not into little boys myself.

I've noticed a tendency for people participating in this and similar threads to impose their own values on other people. I think that this is dangerous.

[andyfox]

People can be smart about some things and less than smart about others. My mother-in-law is very sharp, yet she believes in flying saucers and that alien beings built the pyramids. Granted, this stems from ignorance and Tom Cruise, apparently, has studied scientology, but my original point was that Ms. Goldberg not knowing much about poker, or knowing much and still making less than brilliant statements about it does not make her an idiot.

[Rushmore]

I was joking, mostly. I think everyone should have fun and socialize while playing poker.

I like the irony of your post, by the way. I'm sure it was intended. I mean, I HOPE it was.

[Losing all]

I agree that Whoopi's clear lack of poker knowledge doesn't make her a moron. It's the horrible acting by that no-talent hack that makes her a moron.

[J_V]

I just read this post to my roommate and he's rolling on the floor. That's funny.

[doormat]

I never have understood why the "smart" players feel compelled to insult the amateurs every time they say or do something stupid. If only there were more like Whoopi who would go on national TV and promote poker as a game anyone can beat, there would be more fish in the sea. Maybe you guys should write to her and slam her to make sure she never does it again.

doormat

[StevieG]

[ QUOTE ]
If only there were more like Whoopi who would go on national TV and promote poker as a game anyone can beat, there would be more fish in the sea.

[/ QUOTE ]

Right on.

Promoting poker as a fun way to gamble makes everyone happy. The sharp players get a lot more loose action, and the players who want to gamble by drawing to lots of wild hands are still getting a better deal than they do from scratch tickets and state lotteries.

Smile at the tables, congratulate people who suck out on dumb plays, and hope that they stay casual gamblers and encourage their friends to do likewise.

I'm a complete rookie. I make mistakes all te time at the table, but I can figure that one out.

[Fitz]

I can't speak for every woman in the world, just every one I've ever met!!!