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Phil Hellmuth is more than just a professional poker player. He's also one of a growing number of poker pros who enjoy celebrity status.
Hellmuth appears on talk shows, frequents trendy clubs, and knows A-list celebrities in the world of Hollywood. Years ago, in the days before televised tournaments, poker was an insider's game. It was like there was a club that was created exclusively for professional poker players, and you needed VIP access to enter that club. If you weren't a real poker pro, you were denied access into the club.
Today, with the popularity of the World Poker Tour (WPT) and the World Series of Poker (WSOP), the once exclusive club made for professional poker players is opening its doors to hoards of new players. Many of the newest club members are very young - many in their early twenties. These new card-carrying members of the club made names for themselves in a different time and environment than the older members of the club.
They didn't suffer for years of trying to make a living by playing cash games in seedy casinos. Today's rising young stars in the poker world emerged from the ranks of online poker. They learned the game and earned their money by playing in the comfort of their own homes. Their experience playing poker in a casino setting may be limited, but their talent and skills cannot be denied.
Not surprisingly, some of the old club members despise the new club members. They don't like their style or attitude - or how they've been able to acquire seemingly instant fame and fortune.
Daniel Negreanu, one of the brightest stars in the poker world today, can be seen as a bridge between the new generation and the old generation. Negreanu developed his game by playing in casinos and even credits one of the most respected rounders in the game - Jennifer Harman - for helping him to become one of the best players in the world today. He also enjoys playing in cash games, which some old pros prefer over the now much more unpredictable major tournaments.
Yet Negreanu spends time with other endeavors away from the table game that make him appear to be more new school than old school. He plays poker online. He is marketing his new poker video game, "Stacked." He is one of the most charismatic and marketable stars on the WPT. And he talks about the time he spends with A-list, B-list, and C-list celebrities in his online poker journal.
Negreanu certainly appeals to the younger generation of players, but old school players still definitely respect his game. The same can't be said of every well-know poker player today.
Jennifer Tilly stands out as a confusing example of how the notion of celebrity can go in reverse in the world of poker. Tilly gained fame as a Hollywood actress, but now is gaining a new kind of fame as a professional poker player. In the poker world today, most players gain fame for their success on the felt and translate that success into fame away from the felt.
As the worlds of entertainment and poker continue to merge, a new type of star is being unveiled: the professional poker celebrity.
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