December 19, 2003
John Bizarre Opens Up
John Bizarre is not one to talk about himself. If you need proof, just check out the biography, or lack there of, on his personal website. However, when we can get him to open up, it’s often to share deep insights and his personal philosophies on such topics as how to spot a quality hooker, proper brothel etiquette and why women have a big asses. Perhaps when John stops by this time around, we can pry into his life even further, get even juicier details and find out what makes Bizarre tick.

December 19, 2003
Poker With Pollak
Though most people may be familiar with Kevin Pollak's Hollywood work in such hit films as The Usual Suspects, Grumpy Old Men, A Few Good Men and Casino, many might not realize that he began his career as a standup comedian. Pollack's been performing professional standup comedy since the age of 20 and made a name for himself with his wonderful impressions, most notably his dead-on William Shatner and Peter Faulk. Comedy was his life until he scored a role in George Lucas's film Willow in 1988, and began receiving praise from critics as an outstanding character film actor. Currently, you can catch Pollack hosting one of the hottest games on TV, "Celebrity Poker Showdown," a program where five celebrities compete against each other for the $250,000 prize pool. We think the show could be even more entertaining if they'd just let Pollack play against himself. Why bring in others when you've got Christopher Walken, Albert Brooks and Jack Nicholson right there in the same body.

FACTOID - Kevin Pollak used to try out new impressions by using them to record his answering machine message.

December 18, 2003
Poker With Pollak
Though most people may be familiar with Kevin Pollak's Hollywood work in such hit films as The Usual Suspects, Grumpy Old Men, A Few Good Men and Casino, many might not realize that he began his career as a standup comedian. Pollack's been performing professional standup comedy since the age of 20 and made a name for himself with his wonderful impressions, most notably his dead-on William Shatner and Peter Faulk. Comedy was his life until he scored a role in George Lucas's film Willow in 1988, and began receiving praise from critics as an outstanding character film actor. Currently, you can catch Pollack hosting one of the hottest games on TV, "Celebrity Poker Showdown," a program where five celebrities compete against each other for the $250,000 prize pool. We think the show could be even more entertaining if they'd just let Pollack play against himself. Why bring in others when you've got Christopher Walken, Albert Brooks and Jack Nicholson right there in the same body.

FACTOID - Kevin Pollak used to try out new impressions by using them to record his answering machine message.

December 17, 2003
The NFL Song - Week 15
With just two weeks to go in the 2003 NFL season, the race is on for those teams jockeying for playoff position. Though a couple of teams have solidified their playoff spots, many others are battling it out for the few slots remaining. Though this weekend didn't showcase many marketable matchups, the games turned out to be quite good. Even Arizona managed to play in a close one against Carolina. In other action, the Bengals moved into first place in the AFC North by blowing out the Niners, Peyton Manning overshadowed "Mr. Excitement" Mike Vick, the Vikings chocked against Gunner's Bears, and Joe Horn made a cell phone call after scoring a touchdown late on Sunday night. If you weren't able to catch all the games, you're in luck. There's no better way to rewind all the action of the weekend than with Duke Tumatoe's popular, bluesy musical review, The NFL Song.

December 16, 2003
You’ve Got to Know
When to Hold’em
Football, basketball, baseball… who need’s ‘em? The hottest competitive game sweeping the country doesn’t even use a ball. Fans are now flocking to their televisions to watch poker… more specifically, No Limit Texas Hold’em Poker. There’s no better example of the games popularity than with the success of the new show "Celebrity Poker Showdown," a program where five celebrities compete against each other for a piece of the $250,000 prize pool. Each week, a new crop of stars face off, and card for card go at it until only one gambler holds all the chips… and what’s even better is that all the money goes to charity (though the stars get to keep the bragging rights). What makes the show so appealing to viewers is that they get a sneak peak at each hand held by the players via hidden cameras. It’s all the fun of gambling without having to deal with the big guy waiting to break your legs if you can’t pay off your debt! The show is hosted by comedian Kevin Pollack and world class poker player Phil Gordon. No word yet on whether or not Kenny Rogers has any involvement.

FACTOID – Phil Gordon won nearly $1,000,000 in poker tournaments in the last two years including a 4th place finish in the 2001 World Series of Poker and a first place finish in the World Poker Tour: Aruba (professional division) in 2002.

December 16, 2003
Give Bill Scheft for Christmas
If we had to choose a favorite guest that worked for both The Late Show with David Letterman and Sports Illustrated, it would be Bill Scheft, hands down. In fact, we enjoy his phone calls so much, we've got a hotline set aside just for him. Being from the East coast, and a big time sports fan, Bill's got to be excited that his Patriots are rolling through the NFL (now in the lead for home field advantage in the playoffs). It might even be enough to eliminate the bad taste the Red Sox choking in the MLB playoffs left in his mouth. Aside from sports, were also anxious to hear about what's new with Scheft's column "The Show" in SI and Dave Letterman's new baby.

Side Note - If you haven't bought it by now, Scheft's novel The Ringer, is available in both hardcover and paperback formats... a perfect gift for Christmas, or Chanukah. Check local listings to see which holiday you're celebrating.