Events Calendar
In This Section
Hobo union picks Akron for national convention
Spread holiday cheer, not the flu at parties
Serve edamame for the nutrition
Newbies get help to start cooking
How to stretch meatloaf recipe
Food Notes: Join Lisa at culinary club's benefit dinner
New eateries expand menu of options
Ceremonies and special events to honor Veterans
Retired Green officer finally gets Bronze Star
John Rosemond: Children adapt to different discipline styles
Most Read Stories
Suitcase causes bomb scare at Akron bus terminal
Akron City Council OKs higher speed on I-77
Chapel Hill isn't rolling right along
Motorcyclist killed, wife injured in Stark County crash
New eateries expand menu of options
Man says he was punched, robbed by 3 people in parking lot
Patrick McManamon: Here's what the Browns should try the rest of the season
Family found dead in Ohio home
Louisville athlete commits to play for Boston College
Blogs:
Pets:
It Takes All Kinds
The Heldenfiles:
Tuesday Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
An interesting thought from a reader
Akron Zips:
Akron vs. Mount Union — Liveblog
Tribe Matters:
Indians announce spring dates
Cleveland Browns:
Mangini doesn't name a quarterback
Kent State Sports:
Flashes interested in another Cincinnati player
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Shaq: It’s All About Winning Championships
Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeyes Roll 100-60 / Season Outlook
Varsity Letters:
Report: Walsh baseball player commits
All Da King's Men:
More On The Fort Hood Jihadist
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Simply Incapable of Telling The Truth
Akron Law Café:
Health Care Financing Reform: (63) Commonwealth Fund Report on Primary Care
See Jane Style:
Muffle Your Muffler
Car Chase:
Clock Tender- Extending the Life of Collector Car Clocks
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Rumors: Akron Starbucks Closing
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Jack is looking for a trip to Southern Ohio the week of November 16.
Sound Check:
Aeromsith looking for new singer as Steven Tyler contemplates solo career
HRLite House:
Personal Rant – Why People Do Not Live in Northeast Ohio
Akron Gamer:
Video: 'Modern Warfare 2' hits the streets
By Laura E. Davis
Associated Press
Published on Friday, Jul 04, 2008
LAS VEGAS: Celebrities turned out Wednesday to donate to Darfur charities — and to show their fellow stars just who the real card sharks were.
''I'm looking forward to whipping a lot of celebrity rear end,'' talk show host Montel Williams said before beginning play in a charity Texas Hold 'Em tournament at the World Series of Poker. ''I tweaked my game, and my game is really solid.''
Williams and 87 others, including such Hollywood heavy hitters as Don Cheadle, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Alexander, George Lopez, Adam Sandler and Ray Romano, played in the no-limit tournament to raise money and have a good time.
Charles Barkley also played after a recent pledge to take a hiatus from gambling. The 45-year-old former NBA star, who was sued in May by the Wynn casino for failing to pay back gambling loans, said he would donate his winnings to charity and didn't plan to spend a lot of extra time in town.
The TNT commentator paid back his markers shortly after the casino filed a civil complaint. Barkley said on the air during the NBA playoffs that he wasn't going to gamble for ''the next year or two.''
Players donated prize money from the second annual Ante Up for Africa to charities working in the Darfur region of Sudan. Cheadle and poker pro Annie Duke began the event last year to raise money and awareness for the region, where more than 300,000 people have died and 2.5 million have been displaced since ethnic warfare began in 2003, according to the U.S. presidential envoy to Sudan.
The tournament benefited two charities: ENOUGH, a project co-founded in 2007 by the International Crisis Group and the Center for American Progress, and Not on Our Watch, a group co-founded by Cheadle, Damon, George Clooney and Brad Pitt.
Players in the poker tournament paid $5,000 to enter, and were asked to donate at least half their winnings evenly to the two charities. Nevada law prohibits poker tournaments from designating a certain amount of prize money for charity, so players signed contracts at the tables, pledging at least half their winnings.
As play began, the prize pool totaled $418,000. Last year, the event raised more than $500,000 for the charities and finished with the top two players pooling their $350,000 in winnings and donating it to the cause.
Alexander won the first hand at his table with Damon, eight-time World Series of Poker gold bracelet winner Erik Seidel and others when he raised before the flop and everyone else folded.
Cheadle was eliminated by Alice in Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell when his pair of jacks couldn't top Cantrell's queens.
LAS VEGAS: Celebrities turned out Wednesday to donate to Darfur charities — and to show their fellow stars just who the real card sharks were.
Get the full article here.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
