In a previous column I discussed my choices for the five best television poker personalities, focusing on players who had a big personality, whether people liked them or not, considering sometimes villains are better draws then heroes. In this column I will take a look at the five worst television poker personalities.
To make this list you basically have to have very little humor, emotion, or even appear just plain awkward for whatever reason.
#1 – Todd Brunson
Unlike his well-known father, Todd Brunson just seems like he is unhappy all the time –despite having won mountains of money in poker games over the years. The younger Brunson rarely smiles, rarely talks, and rarely gambles. Todd is the nittiest of all the nits that have appeared on television, and somehow he manages to be invited on to virtually every poker show!
#2 – Howard Lederer
Lederer is another player who enters a poker game all business. Apparently it’s a tough life when you are the principle shareholder of a multi-billion dollar company like Full Tilt Poker! Lederer rarely smiles, rarely talks, and always looks like he is one bad beat away from climbing a clock tower.
#3 – Shawn Sheikhan
As Mike the Mouth would call him “Sheiky” has one of the most off-putting personalities I’ve ever seen on television. Sheikhan just seems like the most narcissistic poker player on the planet: And in a world of narcissism that is really saying something! Helping Sheikhan’s image is his statutory rape charge from a few years ago… Sheikhan is the one player on this list that really rubs me the wrong way. While the other players are just quiet, boring, or awkward, Sheikhan is more in the Jerk category.
#4 – Abe Mosseri
I haven’t seen much of Mosseri on TV but the little I have seen has led me to believe he is even more annoying in person than he appears on TV. Even Doyle Brunson –who usually stays above the fray– was taking pot-shots at Mosseri, whose table talk is in between extremely awkward and downright annoying.
#5 – Chau Giang
A lot of Chau’s television issues have to do with his thick accent, and his penchant for saying very little. That said, Chau always has that awkward feel about him, and it doesn’t help that one of the biggest winners in poker history takes bad beats very poorly; typically muttering and waving his arms.
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Written by Steve Ruddock on December 14th, 2010