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Copyright © 2006 Poker News.
HEADLINE: NBC's "Poker After Dark"
Set for New Year's Debut. Shana Hiatt to Host.
Author: Haley Hintze & John Caldwell
Body:
Late-night poker
programming featuring some of the biggest names in the game? That's
what's on tap when NBC rolls out its newest poker entry, 'Poker
After Dark.' Currently slated for a kickoff on Jan. 2nd, 2007,
at 2:05 a.m. ET/PT, the show promises a stable of poker horses
to rival anything on television. Among the players already signed
up are Phil Ivey, Daniel Negreanu, Doyle Brunson, Howard Lederer,
Chris Ferguson, Erick Lindgren, Jennifer Harman and Gus Hansen.
The show will air six nights each week, running Monday through
Saturday, with the first five nights of the six devoted to coverage
of each week's $120,000, winner-take-all no-limit
Texas Hold'em tournament. Each Friday episode culminates with
the winning of that week's event, and on the sixth, the Saturday
show, host Shana Hiatt and that week's tourney winner will take
part in a 'director's cut' recap, highlighting the most important
moments of that week's poker, and offering insights and strategy
on what the players --- or at least the winning player --- had
in mind as the key hands unfolded. The events will rotate among
the back poker
rooms of many of Las Vegas's most famed casinos, offering
the casual fan a glimpse at what a real casino cardroom looks
like, away from the bleachers and media circus that defines larger
tournaments.
According to Scott Houston, one of the media liaisons for the
show, the $120,000 prize pot battled for each week is contributed
by the players; each of that week's six contestants contributes
$20,000 to the pool. While it's still unknown as to any appearance
fees the players may receive, helping to offset the $20,000 buy-in,
the high skill of the players and their familiarity with one another
guarantees that poker plays of all types will find their way into
the mix.
The securing of Shana Hiatt for 'Poker After Dark' hosting duties
is another piece of the tale. Hiatt, the original hostess for
the first three seasons of World Poker Tour broadcasts, was contacted
by NBC executives about hosting some poker programming for them.
When Hiatt attempted to sign on with NBC for 'Poker After Dark,'
the WPT cited non-compete and exclusivity clauses it claimed it
had in Shana's severance agreement in an attempt to keep Hiatt
from joining NBC. Hiatt sued the WPT and founder Steve Lipscomb
to allow her to take the NBC job. The original WPT action may
have kept Hiatt from being onboard with NBC in time for the second
National Heads-Up Poker Championship, and hints at the bad and
possibly personal blood that may have been at the root of Hiatt's
exodus from the WPT; Hiatt was formerly married to a brother of
WPT co-host Vince Van Patten.
Within the past two weeks, however, Hiatt has succeeded in having
the WPT non-compete clause overturned, freeing her up for hostess
duties on 'Poker After Dark,' and likely, next year's National
Heads-Up Poker Championship as well. According to a recent Wicked
Chops Poker report, "Hiatt obtained a temporary restraining
order 'enjoining and restraining [WPT and its representatives]
from seeking to prevent or prohibit [Hiatt] from seeking employment
with NBC in connection with appearances in two poker-themed television
shows by claiming or asserting the existence of a non-competitive
or other exclusivity agreement.'"
Ed note: Play poker after dark at Absolute
Poker, or any other time you like for that matter.
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Related: See U.S.
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