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Annie Duke maintained her composure and kept a game face on throughout the constant verbal assaults from eventual winner, Joan Rivers. Before a national TV audience on NBC TV, Annie Duke represented the poker world with her brains, total self control, extreme confidence, and never ending aggression…all are must-have talents for every successful poker player.
Remember, poker is a full mental contact sport that can reduce many of the most strong willed players into a seething cauldren of white-hot emotions. Not Annie Duke, you can call her Hitler and get nothing, not even get an eye twitch. I will always wonder how this Celebrity Apprentice competition would have gone if it had been Joan Rivers was facing Puggy Pearson across the table. It would take the age card out of play.
In Sunday evening’s Celebrity Apprentice finale the last task for the heads-up between Duke and Rivers was the organization of a money raising event that included a theme based on sponsor Kodak’s photo sharing system. Annie Duke called on the professional poker world for donations to her charity, Refugees International, while her heads-up opponent, Joan Rivers, used her Hollywood connections for cash to her charity, God’s Love We Deliver. Annie Duke raised almost a half million to Joan Rivers’ $150 K and we all know why. Poker players are some of the most generous and caring people on the planet.
But, as is often the case in any major competition the chip leader going in doesn’t always win. Even with the almost 3-1 lead in charity bucks the deck was stacked against Annie Duke. When Trump polled various people around the room you knew the script called for Joan Rivers to win. Like judges at a boxing match Trump advisers were giving the better known Rivers a 3-2 decision. Congratulations to Joan Rivers for her ability to hang tough and play a great no-fold’em game. It’s a rare event indeed when a 75-year-old female gets to hear, “You’re Hired!” Grey power ruled this day.
Congratulations to Annie Duke for playing the money raising game better than every one and giving the winnings to charity. And a big thanks for putting poker’s best foot forward.
