Look To The Stars News: Mekhi Phifer

Stars Play Poker For Children's Institute

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Celebrities and other high profile guests will wage their bets on Saturday afternoon, October 17, 2009, at the Commerce Casino, in support of Children’s Institute, Inc.’s (CII) work with children who are affected by violence, abuse and other trauma.

Top players have a chance to win several top prizes, including $5,000 in cash, a 2010 World Poker Tour Celebrity Invitational Tournament Seat (valued at $25,000), or a business class personal computer system.

A host of stars will attend, including Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actress Camryn Manheim, who will act as host of CII’s “First Annual Celebrity Poker Tournament”. Also attending are Brandon Beemer, Maria Bello, Dean Cain, Kevin Davitian, Tony Denison, Joely Fisher, Willie Garson, Jennie Garth, Kelli Gates, Nicholas Gonzalez, Neil Patrick Harris, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Cheryl Hines, Jamie Kennedy, Ricki Lake, Kevin Nealon, Mekhi Phifer, Kevin Rahm, Mimi Rogers, J.K. Simmons, Jon Tenney, Alison Sweeney, Greg Vaughn, Tuc Watkins, Brian White, Jay Wilkison and Susan Yeagley.

The event will take place at Commerce Casino, 6131 Telegraph Road, Commerce, California.

Children’s Institute, Inc. helps children who have been affected by violence in their homes or communities. Since 1906, CII has served at-risk children and families in some of Los Angeles’ most devastated neighborhoods. CII provides healing and support so that traumatized children can recover and lead healthy lives. They lead children away from tragic outcomes and on a path toward opportunity and achievement.

Affleck, Damon and More To Ante Up For Africa

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:30:00 -0000

Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Brad Garrett, Mekhi Phifer, and top poker professional Phil Hellmuth have joined the growing list of celebrities who plan to play in the Ante Up For Africa charity tournament July 2 at the 40th annual World Series of Poker.

Some of Hollywood’s biggest stars are expected to go all in for the 3rd Ante Up For Africa (AUFA) Celebrity-Charity poker tournament.

Annually, the largest celebrity poker tournament in Las Vegas, the event is accessible for the public to play with their favorite stars or watch as spectators. A full house of celebrities will join Academy Award Nominee, Don Cheadle and “Celebrity Apprentice Star” and WSOP Bracelet winner Annie Duke at the event taking place during the 2009 WORLD SERIES OF POKER® (WSOP) at Rio in Las Vegas on Thursday, July 2 at 2 PM.

This No-Limit Hold’em poker tournament has an entry fee of $5,000 and provides entrants the opportunity to walk away with a six-figure payday. The event allows players to rub elbows with top Hollywood stars, athletes and poker professionals while contributing to a great cause.

Celebrities and athletes will join poker’s most notable players to raise public awareness and funds to support the victims of the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, Sudan.

Among those confirmed to participate, subject to availability, are Cheadle, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Brad Garrett, Cedric the Entertainer, Charles Barkley, Danny Masterson, Hank Azaria, Herschel Walker, Jason Alexander, Kenny Smith, Marlon Wayans, Montel Williams, Reggie Miller, Tia Carrere, Sarah Silverman, Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Cheryl Hines, Mekhi Phifer, Rob Schneider; Poker Professionals Howard Lederer, Andy Bloch, Tiffany Michelle, Erik Seidel and Phil Hellmuth with more to be confirmed.

The tournament will feature a fast-paced structure designed to complete the competition within five hours. Seating for the tournament is open to anyone age 21 or older.

This event, as is every World Series of Poker tournament, is open to the public for viewing and admission is free. The event will take place in the famed Amazon Ballroom in the Rio Convention Center, just one day prior to the start of the WSOP Main Event, the game’s most prestigious poker event.

Cheadle, an accomplished poker player, and Duke, who has more than $4 million in tournament winnings, are committed to raising both public awareness about the tragedy in Darfur and funds to aid its victims. As the world’s richest sporting event, the WSOP awarded more than $180 million in 2008 and attracted participants from a record 124 nations.

In the previous events, many of the in the money finishers volunteered to donate half of their winnings to the charity. Proceeds from the event will go to the ENOUGH Project and Refugees International, organizations whose goals include raising public awareness and providing aid to the survivors of Darfur.

More information about the tournament is available at www.worldseriesofpoker.com. If you would like more information regarding the organization, please log onto www.anteupforafrica.org and follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/anteupforafrica.

ABOUT THE WSOP
The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is the largest, richest and most prestigious gaming event in the world awarding millions of dollars in prize money and the prestigious gold bracelet, globally recognized as the sport’s top prize. Featuring a comprehensive slate of tournaments in every major poker variation, the WSOP is poker’s longest running tournament in the world, dating back to 1970. In 2008, the event attracted 58,720 entrants from 124 different countries to the Rio in Las Vegas and awarded over $180 million in prize money. The creation of the new delayed Main Event final table more than doubled ratings on ESPN year-over-year. In December, 2008 the WSOP was named the 7th most admired sports brand in North America by the Turnkey Team Brand Index trailing only the more established NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR and PGA Tour among sports properties. In addition, the WSOP has formed groundbreaking alliances in broadcasting, digital media and corporate sponsorships, while successfully expanding the brand internationally with the advent in 2007 of the World Series of Poker Europe. For more information on the World Series of Poker, please visit our website at www.worldseriesofpoker.com.

ABOUT ANTE UP FOR AFRICA
Ante Up For Africa (AUFA) is a non-profit organization founded in 2006 by Don Cheadle, Annie Duke and Norman Epstein. We are dedicated to raising money and awareness for Africans in need. To date, Ante Up For Africa has raised close to $2 million for the cause and has donated to organizations such as Not On Our Watch (NOOW), ENOUGH and The International Rescue Committee. For more information, please log onto www.AnteUpForAfrica.org.

Stars Take A Gamble At Charity Poker Tournament

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:01:58 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

Look To The Stars reporter Delinda Lombardo recently attended the star-studded World Poker Tour Invitational in Los Angeles and caught up with some of the celebrities involved.

On March 1-3, celebrities and poker professionals hit the felt for the 6th Annual World Poker Tour Invitational at Commerce Casino in Los Angeles. More than 100 celebrities were invited to compete for a seat in the WPT Championships while raising money for charity, including a side pot worth nearly $30,000 that went entirely to charity in the names of the final 13 celebrities in the field. The three title charities of the event, guaranteed to receive at least $2,500 each, were Soles United, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and Harbor Private Funds.

Poker professionals, including Phil Laak, Shawn Sheikhan, Allen Kessler, Kathy Liebert, Jennifer Tilly, Billy Baxter, David Pham, Kenny Tran, and Antonio Esfandiari (who was just named the official spokesperson for the WPT) flocked to the highly successful event, which is now in its sixth year.

Actor James Woods has already established himself as one of the ‘best celebrity’ poker players out there. After losing his brother to a stroke in 2006, it came as no surprise that he plays for the American Stroke Association Charity.

“I’m playing for my brother,” he told me.

Lakers owner Jerry Buss was also playing cards, but it was Lakers forward Ronnie Turiaf who came out a winner. Turiaf has been coping with a heart aliment that didn’t seem to stop him from making the best of it.

“I’m feeling good,” he said. “You know, things happen for a reason, and I just try to make the best of it. God tests us all in different ways.”

And part of this ‘test’ includes corroboration with NBA player/poet/humanitarian Etan Thomas. Thomas recently underwent open-heart surgery. When I asked Turiaf what charity he was playing for, he dropped the bomb on me:

“Right now, I’m working on putting together something with Etan Thomas so we can help others going through the same thing,” he said. “Etan and I talked about it when I went to Washington, my part is going to be here and his part will probably be in Washington. We’re hoping to have it established later this year.”

The name of his foundation – Heart to Heart.

“You know, heart to heart,” he said with his hand over his heart. “As in my heart and his heart, and our hearts reaching out to others.”

Another celebrity taking the time to discuss his charitable efforts was actor Nicholas Gonzalez (Undressed). Gonzalez plays poker on a regular basis, but was much more interested in promoting his charity than his poker skills. Gonzalez was playing for Friends of El Faro, an organization that helps needy kids and families in Tijuana, with celebrities making routine visits across the border into Mexico. When asked about his role, he was quick to take the attention off himself.

“You know, it’s a great cause that I’ve been working with for a while,” he said. “One of the biggest proponents of El Faro is [”Molly Sims":http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/1062-molly-sims], who has a contract with Cover Girl. They even supported her work, went down there and talked to the younger girls, made up their faces and took pictures. Also Shannon Elizabeth, Adam Rodriguez, and especially Sharon Lawrence, who has been a really huge supporter – there’s a lot of celebrity friends. We used to have big gala every year in Hollywood that’s very well attended, but really, like I said it’s about getting down there, it’s not about who anybody is, it’s about spending time with the kids. We do everything from build playgrounds, to rebuilding kitchens, to knocking down walls – that kind of thing. "

Also on the red carpet was actor Justin Henry (The Junior Defenders), sitting in for actor Heath Ledger, who recently passed away. When asked about his charity, Henry simply stated “I’m playing for Heath.”

Numb3rs actor Will Wheaton walked the Red Carpet while commenting on his Curious George doll, “My son gave it to me for good luck.”

Actor John Hawkes (American Gangster, Deadwood) was knocked out of the poker tournament early on, so I spent some time chatting with him about his charity efforts. Had he not been eliminated, his winnings were earmarked to help save a few animals.

“I love animals,” he said. “So I would have given it all to support Friends of Animals in Utah, they do really great work and are a worthwhile cause that really I believe in.”

Hawkes in also involved with the 1-Second Film Project, a non-profit collaborative film that anyone can be part of. Hawkes is listed as one of the celebrity producers, along with Brett Ratner, Spike Jonez, and Kiefer Sutherland, who are raising money while creating the Worlds Biggest Short Film. All profits raised by the finished film will be donated to the Global Fund for Women.

Tom Everett Scott (Cashmere Mafia, Saved) was playing for a cause close to his heart.

“I’m playing for autism” he said prior to the tournament. “It runs in my family so it’s really important for me to personally get involved.”

Brian Baumgartner (The Office) was there to help raise money for those writers who were affected by the writers strike.

“I’m playing for the Motion Picture and Television Fund for the below the line workers that were affected by the writers strike,” he commented. “Its really an important organization that does a great deal of good work.”

Other celebrities in attendance included Mimi Rogers, who was playing for the Dream Foundation, actor Dwayne Adway (Into the Blue_), who was very proud to support the Creative Coalition, and James Kyson Lee (_Heroes) who has been inspired to start his own foundation.

“I’m just getting it established” Lee happily stated. “Im really excited about being able to help others and give back, I’d like to help the children in some way.”

Other celebrities in attendance included actor Don Cheadle, Meat Loaf, Ryan Stiles (Drew Carey Show_), Donnie Wahlberg (Kill Point_), Mekhi Phifer (E.R_.), Eric Paladino (E.R.), Jonathon Schaech (Prom Night_), Joshua LeBar (Entourage_), Joshua Morrow (Young and the Restless_), Lukas Haas (Death in Love_), comedian Doug Benson, Camryn Manheim (Ghost Whisperer_), Louis Lombardi (Sopranos, 24_), Jeremy Sisto (_Law & Order, Six Feet Under), Andy Milner (Weeds), Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad), Michael Vartan (Big Shots, Never Been Kissed), Ron Livingston (The Time Traveler’s Wife), Tia Carrere, and Andy Hirsh (Big Love).

Congratulations to the winner of the event, Van Nguyen, who became the first female in history to win a mixed WPT tournament. She is married to poker pro Men ’The Master" Nguyen.

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