Look To The Stars News: Annie Duke

The Chips Are Up For Africa

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:30:00 -0000

The Second Annual ‘Ante Up for Africa’ poker tournament was held on July 2nd in Las Vegas, and drew an impressive field of poker pro’s, celebrities and athletes – all of who helped make the event a success by raising over $400,000 for charity.

The event, co-hosted by humanitarian/actor Don Cheadle and poker pro Annie Duke, is already having a positive impact in Darfur – notably in reference to a UN Security Council vote authorizing a peacekeeping force in the area. “It wouldn’t have taken place [without us],” said Cheadle.

“It’s just great to see everybody,” Cheadle said as the event began.

The mood was comical at some tables,”All the tournaments I’ve ever won have been for charity,“ said actor Jason Alexander. “When there’s no actual money for me, I’m very good.”

Adam Sandler cracked his first joke as the first hand was dealt, “I just want to hurry up and lose my money and go home to my wife.”

Matt Damon busted out of the tournament early, while seasoned poker pal Ben Affleck made it all the way to the final table before losing to John Hennigan.

Affleck said he remains optimistic about the situation in Darfur, “I do think that [Sudan’s leaders] are afraid of the next administration being tougher, and are probably a little bit more willing to be more cooperative. But I’m optimistic about what’s going to happen.”

Other celebrities who kicked in the $5k for a spot at the felt included Charles Barkley, Jennifer Tilly, Shannon Elizabeth, Ray Romano, Casey Affleck, and poker pro Phil Helmuth among others.

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 (NOOW), a group co-founded by Cheadle, Damon, George Clooney and Brad Pitt.

Celebrities To Raise Stakes For Africa Again

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

The 2008 ‘Ante Up For Africa’ Poker Tournament at the World Series of Poker will be held on July 2 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The tournament is the brainchild of actor Don Cheadle and poker pro Annie Duke, who created the event to raise money and awareness for the crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan.

“After the success of last year’s tournament, we are looking forward to another exciting year while raising awareness for an ongoing crisis,” Duke said. “It is exciting to bring the world of poker and entertainment together, and we are once again asking players who win prize money to donate half of their winnings to our charities.”

Last year’s inaugural event raised more than $700,000, thanks in part to the stellar list of celebrities, athletes, and poker professionals who participated.

Confirmed to participate in this year’s event are Cheadle, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Adam Sandler, Ray Romano, Charles Barkley, Jason Kidd, Kevin Pollack, Cheryl Hines, George Lopez, Joe Trohman from Fall Out Boy, and more.

“The poker community has a unique opportunity to help ease the suffering in Darfur,” said Jeffrey Pollack, WSOP commissioner. “The stars are coming out for this special event once again and we encourage everyone to register early before we sell out.”

Two charities will benefit form this year’s Ante Up For Africa showdown – the ENOUGH Project and Not On Our Watch.

ENOUGH is joint initiative of the International Crisis Group and the Center for American Progress, which aims to end crimes against humanity in Darfur, Northern Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The organization also hopes to prevent future mass atrocities around the world.

Not On Our Watch, which was founded by George Clooney, Don Cheadle, Matt Damon and Brad Pitt, strives to focus global attention and resources on putting an end to mass atrocities around the world. It takes its name from the book authored by Cheadle and John Prendergast, and draws on the voices of celebrities, cultural leaders and activists to help bring the crisis to the public’s attention and generate humanitarian assistance for the nation.

The tournament is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. on July 2.

Montel Williams To Play Poker For Multiple Sclerosis

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:52:07 -0000

After reading our recent Montel Williams article, Look To The Stars reader Dan Ciranny wrote in to tell us something our readers can do today to make a real difference in the lives of people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS):

First of all, let me tell you about MS, because I admit I never really understood what it was about.

Multiple Sclerosis leads its victims down a long decline in every vital system of the body. It attacks systems in the body randomly by deteriorating the protective sheaths of the nerve connections that send signals to that part of the body.

It attacks the eyes, so blurry and double vision becomes the order of the day. It attacks the nerve endings in the skin, so if you can imagine what it feels like to have a novacaine shot at the dentist, imagine your entire body without feeling. But that doesn’t mean there is no pain…no, not at all. Imagine shooting electrical shock-like pains randomly attacking different parts of your body, without warning or pity. It attacks the motor skills in your body so that walking becomes a chore, often dragging a foot. It attacks your balance so that you often feel dizzy so that the simple act of standing becomes difficult. It attacks your ability to hold things in your hands. It attacks your urinary tract and digestive systems, so that basic digestion and elimination become uncontrollable and embarrassing.

More importantly, it attacks your brain. Words that used to flow easily become difficult to find. You find it difficult to focus or concentrate. And you are tired all the time. Meeting basic human needs for yourself becomes difficult to deal with. Even the simple acts of taking a shower and dressing start to feel like running a marathon.

Approximately 400,000 Americans have MS, and every week about 200 people are diagnosed. World-wide, MS affects about 2.5 million people. This monstrous disease is literally eating the lives of your friends and neighbors. Because the symptoms often masquerade as other diseases, it is very difficult to diagnose and not all diagnosed cases get reported. The point is, if MS hasn’t yet affected your life or someone you know, it is very possible that it will.

So what can you do? Join with Montel Williams as he fights for the cure. He is hosting a Gala Poker Tournament and Party in NYC this week. Lots of celebrities will be in attendance as well as well-known professional poker players from all over the world. There will be a pay-per-view live-streamed internet event so that you can attend right from your computer and a portion of the proceeds will go to help Montel find a cure. This is your chance. For about the cost of a fast food meal or a movie with no popcorn, you can make a difference.

Montel himself will be putting up prizes for a drawing that will be just for the people who come to the live streaming event. To hear an exclusive interview with Montel himself about this event, go to www.energyofthespirit.com. There you can also get instructions on how you can participate.

Whether you go to the event yourself or not, please forward this to everyone who has ever forwarded you a joke or inspirational email. I am not going to promise you that if you forward it to 10 of your friends a magical genie will grant you a wish…

…But here is YOUR chance to make a real difference. You can be instrumental in finding a cure for this ravening beast of a disease called MS. You could be the one who gets this message to someone who sends the final dollar in that actually gets the research done that finds the cure. Help Montel, help your neighbors, help the human beings who are being imprisoned by this malicious disease. Thank you in advance for your kindness.

Dan Ciranny, www.yaktivate.com

The event takes place tonight, March 13, at the Cipriani on 42nd Street, New York City. It will feature a host of poker professionals, including Annie Duke, and all proceeds go to the Montel Williams MS Foundation. Play starts at 7:15pm.

Stars Raise The Stakes For Darfur

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 11:44:33 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Las Vegas is to host a star-studded poker tournament on July 5 to raise much needed aid for the current humanitarian crisis in Darfur.

The Ante Up For Africa event will be held at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino, and will see “Ocean’s 13” stars George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon compete in the high stakes world of Texas Hold ‘Em against a host of other celebrities.

The event has been organised by actor Don Cheadle and professional poker player Annie Duke, and will coincide with the annual World Series of Poker. The pair hope the event will generate funds to help the “millions of people who must roll the dice every day in their struggle to survive (in Darfur).”

The Ocean’s 13 actors are expected to join fellow celebrities Ben Affleck, Adam Sandler, Ray Romano, George Lopez, Willie Garson and many others in the all-night tournament. There is also the opportunity for non-celebrities to pitch their skills against the stars, as anyone over the age of 21 can enter the tournament for a $5000 “buy-in”.

“While a donation is not required to enter,” said Duke in a recent press release, “we are respectfully asking players who win prize money to donate half of their winnings to the ENOUGH Project and the International Rescue Committee – organizations whose goals include raising public awareness and providing aid to the survivors of Darfur.”

Don Cheadle, an accomplished poker player himself, is co-author of Not On Our Watch, a book about the crisis in Darfur, and co-founder of the non-profit organization of the same name. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in the film “Hotel Rwanda”, which tells the story of the government-sanctioned slaughter of more than a million people in Rwanda in 1994, and has spent the last two years heavily involved in humanitarian causes.

Ashton Kutcher Wins Poker Lesson

Sun, 12 Feb 2006 14:53:34 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Upset over the disaster caused by Hurricane Katrina, Ashton Kutcher bid $14,000 in a celebrity auction for a poker lesson from top player Annie Duke. The auction, which took place in October, was donating all of its proceeds to ongoing relief efforts.

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