Las Vegas Backstage Talk

Gaming Today Column-Kevin Pollak by Michele LaFong

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Face to “Poker-face” interview with Actor/Impressionist Kevin Pollak-

“Getting Personal with the Stars”

Last week I had a face to “Poker-face” interview with Actor/Impressionist Kevin Pollak, who is competing at The World Series of Poker held at The Rio All Suites Hotel and Casino.  Kevin was there representing hollywoodpoker.com,   and is holding a best poker-face on-line contest, that will be on-going for the next four weeks with lots of prizes to win.  “Many celebrities have also entered, including Rob Reiner, whose poker-face is pretty hard to beat.”

Kevin, who has been playing poker all of his life, came in second in a recent tournament of two hundred players. He claims that being a natural impressionist and studier of human nature gives him the poker-face advantage.  “It’s all about playing your game, and studying your opponents.  The best players don’t even need to look at their hole cards.  They are playing against their opponents, mastering the poker-face.”

When asked how he got started playing in tournaments he replied “I was filming the Martin Scorsese movie “Casino,” and I was stuck for twenty weeks at The Riviera Hotel and Casino.  If you’ve ever been to The Riviera, you know what I mean by stuck!   A pit boss saw me playing, liked me, and taught me the difference between playing “Home Poker” for five to six hours, verses Casino Poker for twelve to sixteen hours.

One second it was Robert DeNiro explaining the difference, and giving me poker-face tips,  the next second it was Alan Arkin, and Christopher Walken.  I felt like I was interviewing the male version of “Cybil!”

My videotaped Face to Poker-face Interview with Actor/Impressionist Kevin Pollak can be seen here

Gaming Today column here!