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Pitt,
Clooney 'can't play poker', by Shaun Davies -
16th June 2008
(Credit: NineMSN)
Australia's
king of cards has confirmed what many may have
already suspected — most of the cast of
Ocean's 13 can't play poker.
Poker
supremo Joe Hachem, who won US$7.5 million ($7.9
million) at the World Series of Poker in 2005,
played Texas Hold 'Em against the film's stars
at Cannes in 2007.
But
while Matt Damon and Don Cheadle showed some aptitude
for the game, George Clooney, Brad Pitt and other
cast members were completely out of their depth,
Hachem told ninemsn.
"These
guys are supposed to be action hero types and
suddenly I walk in the room and they're looking
a little frightened. But I wasn't there to take
anyone's money," he said.
"George
and Brad were very reluctant to play. Their on-screen
persona is, you know, these action dudes and they
don't want to be seen as being stupid."
But
it was James Bond star Daniel Craig who seemed
to fear poker more than anyone.
Reports
surfaced in 2006 that Craig, who first played
poker-loving spy Bond in Casino Royale, was a
dud when it came to playing cards.
Hachem
said Craig, who was also staying in Cannes, "turned
white" when asked to join in a game.
"He
didn't know how to play. But I don't blame him,"
he said.
The
poker champ was also surprised the stars did not
carry cash and had to borrow money from each other
to throw in for the pot.
Not
surprisingly, Hachem cleaned up — but he
didn't keep the winnings.
The
game was played at Hotel Ducal in Cannes, as part
of a promotion for the online gambling site PokerStars.com,
which Hachem represents.
Hachem
said he was somewhat overwhelmed to be in the
presence of Hollywood royalty, but managed to
"pretty much bluff [his] way through everything".
He
said that while his life had changed forever since
his 2005 win, his family and friends kept him
grounded.
"There's
no such thing as normal anymore. Once you go through
that trapdoor there's no coming back. But the
critical elements of my life, they haven't changed,"
he said.
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