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.