Attention Travel Channel: Enough With the World Poker Tour Already

The BBQ Pit
1

I’ve always loved The Travel Channel as long as I’ve had access to it. Before we had it on our local cable I would watch it on my MIL’s cable whenever I was at her house. When it came to my local cable lineup a few weeks ago I danced a jig in the streets.

Now, however, they’ve devoted two nights per week, two hours per night of their prime-time programming to the freaking World Poker Tour.

I can get my mind around the idea of watching people play poker for maybe an hour, maybe once a week, late at night (after prime-time). You see, there’s a reason why TNN (soon to be Spike) shows bass fishing at 6:00 on Saturday morning-- because it’s a niche show for a niche audience. But four hours per week, during prime-time, is just too much for watching people play poker.

2

You’re right. There’s only one solution.

The Poker Channel

3

I play a bit of poker myself, but…I gotta agree with you. What’s a poker show doing on the TRAVEL Channel anyway? It’s not like you’re seeing anything other than the inside of a casino (and not even much of that, either).

I know they’ve tried to tart up some of the “tour stops” by hosting them in open-front beach bars in Hawaii and the like, but come on.

4

The Poker channel would be a dream come true for me. I agree this is an odd fit for the travel channel, but it is a great show. I am just salivating waiting for next season.

5

I enjoy the WPT. The two things about it that I personally find irritating are that “Quack Quack” guy, and the definitions that are too small and flashed too quickly to read. Other than that, it’s good mindless fun, and isn’t that what TV’s all about?

I particularly enjoy putting it on in the kitchen, at the back of the house, and watching a program on how to distill your own whiskey on the Food Channel, in the front living room.

That, my friend, is fine choice. Liquor in the front, or poker in the rear.

6

It’s the only show I watch on the Travel Channel. And I like to travel, so I think they’re missing something in their programming.

7

Professional poker players are loving it, though!

The Poker Channel would be cool but I’d never see my husband again.

8

Eh, the Travel Channel should have changed their name to The 24-hour Vegas Advertising Channel years ago. At least showing poker is somewhat more interesting than yet another “documentary” going behind the scenes at the Bellagio.

9

I couldn’t agree more. The only thing I can think is that these are produced by the Vegas hotels themselves, and the the Travel Channel gets the programs really, really cheap.

10

I love watching the World Poker Tour. Unfortunately I have now seen EVERY ONE OF THEM. They need to get some new ones or show something else in the meantime.

Nothing is more worthless than watching people playing No Limit Hold 'Em after you’ve already seen the outcome. (“Gee, I hope he finds that King on the River…oh wait - he doesn’t.”)

11

They do make a token effort to travel though. If it was on ESPN, they would probably just show Vegas tournaments each week. It’s no coincidence most of the pros liver there.

12

I have a friend who is making a living at poker in Vegas. He and others doing the same are loving the World Poker Tour show.

There has been a pleasant uptick in the number of people sitting down at his table saying something like “just wanted to try poker like I saw on the TV!”

13

My God, obrusciatrist, do these people not realize that the professionals make it LOOK easy? I’m not anti-gambling by any stretch of the word, but I sure hope they have half an idea what they’re getting into. I’ve never tried live poker with human beings because I’m sure I’d lose lose lose lose.

Thanks to my mom’s husband, I have seen more than enough poker for now. It WAS interesting, for a while. An hour or so. A couple of times.

14

My God, obfusciatrist, do these people not realize that the professionals make it LOOK easy? I’m not anti-gambling by any stretch of the word, but I sure hope they have half an idea what they’re getting into. I’ve never tried live poker with human beings because I’m sure I’d lose lose lose lose.

Thanks to my mom’s husband, I have seen more than enough poker for now. It WAS interesting, for a while. An hour or so. A couple of times.

15

Sorry about the double-post – I thought the first one hadn’t gone through yet, and I noticed the typo in obfusciatrist’s name. :smack:

16

hehe. He wrote poker in the rear.

17

We have a winner.

18

I love watching WPT! It’s so much better than the World Series of Poker on ESPN 50 or wherever they have it. Gabe Kaplan has to be the worst commentator ever.

Did you see that heads-up hand in the finals, where the one guy had pocket kings against an A-x? Two sevens on the flop, third seven on the turn and on the river, the fourth seven! a one-in-100,000+ hand, busting the huge favorite from two pair to a full boat to a LOSER with four sevens with a K kicker to the other guys A kicker! Where else are you gonna get that kind of drama!

Plus, that hand got me laid. So GO World Poker Tour!

19

That was an insane hand Otto. Losing on pocket kings vs. ace high with no face cards showing has gotta hurt.

I think there was also another great one in that game where the board flopped a straight and so they tied. Not good odds on that.

20

If they ever have a world “Go Fish” championship tour on TV, I’m there!