Hollywood Home Game

15 minutes or so…

Travel Channel

I admit to only having seen about 15 minutes of this show, but 15 minutes was enough to know that Hollywood Home Game blows the doors off Celebrity Poker Showdown. This is true for the following reasons:

1. None of the players ask what “check” means. In other words, the “Celebrity Jeopardy” factor is not as strong as it is in “Celebrity Poker Showdown.” All of the players seem to have a basic idea of how to play and some seem downright competent.
2. There was plenty of goofing around, but the celebrities actually appear to care about winning. Perhaps they care because, in addition to money for charities, or monies for charity, there’s a $25,000 seat in the World Poker Tour championship event up for grabs.
3. I actually recognized of all the celebrities: Drew Carrey, Jack Black, Mimi Rogers, Aisha Taylor, Fred Savage and Steve Harris. There’s something different about Harris since his Iron Maiden days that I can’t quite put my finger on though.
4. The “red card” is a very cool idea. At any time during the tourney, a celebrity can play his red card and summon top professional players for advice. On the episode I saw, the advisors are Jennifer Harman and Daniel Negreanu, true elites. The show hits the perfect note here because the red card is fun and entertaining, as well as interesting and informative because we get to hear how the best players in the world think.

While I enjoy Hollywood Home Game as it is, it could be a better show. Here are some ideas for improving it.

1. To make the games even more competitive, celebrities should play for competing charities. If you’re playing for lung cancer research and the other guy is playing for breast cancer research you don’t really care who gets the money. But suppose you’re playing for Planned Parenthood and the other guy’s playing for Right to Life. Things are going to heat up.
2. Along the same lines, why not have certain celebrities play for their lives? Imagine some turd like Dennis Miller playing heads up (one on one) with Daniel or Jennifer. Standing behind Dennis, with one foot on a chopping block is the state executioner of Saudi Arabia,
3. Just to continue brain storming, the celeb should be allowed to win in the above scenario, then executed anyway. Imagine, some pain in the ass works his way from being down to his last chip, to defeating a world class pro. “Wow that was impressive! Unfortunately, Mr. Timberlake, we were planning on killing you all along. We didn’t think you’d actually win! Our mistake. At least you go out as a winner, huh?”
4. Put me in the game. I’ll beat every single celebrity opponent guaranteed and I’ll be able to make snide comments while doing so. Come on, take a chance.