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John Caldwell
ANNIE DUKE WOWS ‘EM ON CAPITOL HILL
As part of the House Judiciary Committee Hearing on online gambling, Annie Duke recently testified on behalf of poker players everywhere. Always a tough crowd when it comes to issues with any controversy surrounding them, the members of the committee listened closely as Duke read a statement that can only be classified as inspired. Duke’s testimony centered on striving for a policy consistent with our country’s founding principles relative to personal freedom and responsibility. Post testimony, nearly all concerned agree that Duke’s statement was a carefully crafted work that did a great job of communicating the feelings of poker players while delivering the statement in a language that those on Capitol Hill can identify with. Welldone, Annie.
BYE-BYE TO BOBBY BELLANDE ON SURVIVOR
Jean-Robert Bellande’s run as a contestant on “Survivor: China” came to an end in episode eight of the current season, which aired recently on CBS. Bellande was an outsider of sorts among the cliques that formed elsewhere as the show’s program lines evolved, and was voted off after receiving the nod of doom from five of the nine remaining players. Bellande finished in ninth-failing to cash, in poker terms-but lasted long enough to become part of the jury that votes for the ultimate winner of the show.
NICK CAGE TO PLAY AMARILLO SLIM IN BIOPIC
We’re no casting experts here at PokerNews.com, but we had to raise an eyebrow when we heard this little gem. The Dallas Morning News is reporting that Nick Cage is set to play the lead in a movie based on the life of 1972 WSOP Champion “Amarillo” Slim Preston. Cage’s production company, Saturn Films, will produce the pic, and Slim will have “… a lot of input” into the film, according to producers. Given the way Hollywood works, the film may never see the light of day, but we can’t wait to see Cage’s low key approach to Slim’s hyper-kinetic personality. Stay tuned, Y’all.
POKER 11TH MOST POPULAR IN MARKETING STUDY
The World Series of Poker has another accolade to add to its long list of accomplishments: It’s now the “… 11th most admired sports league in North America” in a poll of 12,000 sports fans conducted by marketing firm Turnkey Sports & Entertainment. Without going into the whole “Is poker a sport?” debate-marketers don’t care-the survey measured the WSOP’s overall popularity and found it solid, trailing the big five sports stalwarts (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR) and a few others, but ranking comfortably ahead of other niche entertainment. Among those outclassed by poker’s widespread popularity were pro bowling, the Indy Racing League, drag racing, arena football and others.
UIGEA-STYLE BILL INTRODUCED IN NORWAY
The announced intentions of some Norwegian legislators to pass a bill modeled after the United States’ UIGEA have moved one step closer to reality. Norway’s Minister for Culture and Church Affairs, Tronde Giske, has introduced legislation to ban Norwegian financial institutions from processing transactions to and from international gambling sites. The Norwegian effort faces difficulties but is less likely to run afoul of European Union mandates than other countries’ solutions, since Norway, unlike most of its European neighbors is not a primary EU member. Norway is, however, part of the EU-regulated Single Market.
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