I Want My ... I Want My ... I Want My W P T

Rodney Chen on the ba-poker mailing list points us to a story in the San Jose Mercury News [registration required] about Bay 101's "Shooting Stars" World Poker Tour event going on now:

Jesus had already lost his chips, but Fossilman was there. So were the Poker Brat and the Unabomber.

Some of the biggest nicknames to ever draw a full house were doing just that on Tuesday at San Jose's Bay 101 Casino. The World Poker Tour is in town this week. That means big players, big prize money – and big groups of onlookers with jaws dropped down to here.

The tide has turned. A year and a half ago, journalism about the television-fueled growth of poker emphasized the dark side of gambling. Now it's about poker stars, celebrities, and glamour.

"[E]ver since they put poker on TV, these guys are like rock stars'' [said Bay 101 dealer Tony Fletcher.]

And having rock stars means one thing: Groupies. Or at least a crush of hangers-on, card-shark wannabes, and assorted gawkers who have helped turn poker into the smokingest professional game in America at the moment.

Old-fashioned Hollywood star-power has also fueled the frenzy. And this week's million-dollar event has brought out actors James Woods, Mimi Rogers and Jennifer Tilly. If that wasn't enough, Tobey ``Spider-man'' Maguire slipped in, hooked up to an iPod and skulking behind dark shades as he waded into hands of no-limit hold 'em. ...

[Pleasanton software salesman Bill Balew] said he heard Jennifer Tilly is Phil ``Unabomber'' Laak's girlfriend.

``That's proof that poker has gone big-time,'' Ballew said. ``Beautiful women used to date professional football or baseball players. Now they want to date poker players.''

Groupies? Jennifer Tilly?? Man, that ain't working; that's the way to do it!