Poker: Celebrity Poker Showdown
Game #3.4 -- Hollywood interlude

There are some poker games that make me sit back in my chair and go, "Damn, I wish I'd played in that." The fourth game of "Celebrity Poker Showdown" tournament three is one of them.

The table, which featured Michael Badalucco, Bobby Flay, Steve Harris, Kathy Najimy and Mimi Rogers, was downright funny and engaging the whole night. Never mind that I don't like Bobby Flay (what the hell was up with that suit, anyway?) and the only episodes of "The Practice" I ever saw were the ones that had a prominent amount of Ron Livingston's tough-love ADA Alan Lowe.

And never mind that the play at the table wasn't even that good (do these people understand the concept of aggressive play and raising?). It was just a whole lot of fun.

Kathy Najimy, for instance, absolutely beat the crap out of Bobby Flay all night, in some sort of odd cosmic revenge for Flay's having won "Iron Chef," perhaps. He was the first to go, but not by her hand -- he matched pocket jacks against Michael Badalucco's K-9. In what would become a theme of the night, after it looked like Flay might survive with a useless board of 2-5-A-A, a king turned up on the river and served up a nasty defeat for the TV chef.

(On a side note, when Bobby took his seat on the sectional, I noticed the Losers' Lounge table looked a little bare. What's up with that? Do I need to send Dave out for a snack run?)

Speaking of food, poor Steve Harris wasn't having the easiest time getting his drink out on the floor. I don't know what was up with that, either, but Steve delivered a brilliant beleaguered rant about needing his beverage that had the whole audience in laughter. Finally, some time later, when the drink showed up, he capped it perfectly: raising the glass like an Oscar to a raucous round of applause. This, my friends, is why his Eugene was my second favorite character on "The Practice."

Meanwhile, Tournament Director Bob had perhaps the most fun I've ever seen this man have, as Kathy continued to banter back and forth with him. Robert Thompson's got a great sense of humor and really was almost like a sixth player at the table. (The line of the night came from Dave when he also said it looked like Robert sometimes could just slap somebody with his microphone. That I'd pay to see.)

Of course, there was a good-natured battle between the two castmates, one that Steve ended up winning when Michael matched 4-10 against Kathy's 9-9. The board went 4-8-5-3-Q, and Michael's night ended.

It ended strangely, too: he proceeded to do the most over-the-top faux histrionics I've ever seen, going into the Losers' Lounge and hugging Bobby Flay. Dude, now that's the proper way to send up a drama queen stereotype.

While Kathy had the chip lead at one point and had been playing well, she started to slide and soon found herself on the ropes between Steve and the very wise Mimi. Finally, she took her Q-K and made a stand against Steve's Q-10. After 9-3-8-3 things looked promising, but yet again the river drowned a player as a 10 surfaced and knocked her out.

This left Steve up against the admittedly intimidating Mimi (and left me confused because I knew I'd picked one of them to win but didn't remember which one). Keep in mind that if Mimi won, she'd be facing down David Cross, who'd won the previous game, in the revenge match to end all revenge matches, too.

She'll have to wait to get her shot at the bathrobe-wearing Cross, because it isn't going to be in this tournament.

A bluff holding only 3-6 was a risky call for Steve with his Q-3, who decided to take the chance. The board of 2-7-K-2-9 paired twos but that was all it did, and Steve Harris, who'd been tight and on the ropes at one point, was going to the final table.

That final table, by the way, is taking shape now: Dave Navarro, David Cross, Steve Harris, Jeff Gordon (anyone want to start yelling "Jeff Gordon goes all-in!"), and whoever wins the next table, which includes Hank Azaria. One hopes his luck will finally change.

Until then, let's all go out and get some lovely beverages...