- PROMOTIONS
- All Promotions
PokerStars throws Shaquille O'Neal a star-studded birthday bash
There was so much to see, one might've missed the Bat-Light zipping haphazardly across the face of the Hotel Victor. Palm trees slow-danced in the wind, their leaves reflecting the lights of the slowly passing limousines and expensive sports cars. Expertly-crafted bodies jogged or walked along the beachfront, a testament to the wintertime warmth on Miami's South Beach. High-priced security officers talked into their sleeves and pressed earpieces into their heads. It was not just a sight to behold. It was a Sun Belt circus for the eyes.
So, one could be forgiven if they missed the Bat-Light at first glance. It could, however, not be ignored. Nearly ten feet in diameter, the giant Superman symbol slipped from one corner of the hotel's face to another, as if guiding in the great superhero himself.
In fact, it was a signal to all passers-by that a hero of a different sort was shortly to arrive. Though he'd worn different symbols in the past, this hero had adopted two markers that currently identified him to his public. The first shot from a high-beam light, a giant "S" as Christopher Reeve once wore on his chest. The other symbol, "#32." At present, #32 was in the middle of winning a game and unavailable to follow the signal to the hotel. But he would arrive in due time. After all, it was his birthday party.
Number 32 was turning 33.
It was a Friday night on South Beach and Shaquille O'Neal was the guest of honor at the high-dollar birthday party at the newly remodeled hotel. The guest list was unlike any on Ocean Drive that night. As the paparazzi lined up along the sidewalk and red carpet, the parade began. Donald Trump and "The Apprentice" star Katrina Campins couldn't pass without notice. Pat Riley, Sammy Sosa, Mike Piazza, Jeremy Shockey, Curtis Martin, and a host of Miami Heat players made up an all-star lineup of athletic prowess. Television and movie stars Tara Reid, Star Jones, John Witherspoon, Al Reynolds, and Katt Williams delivered the star power.
As each passed, I posed a simple question: "Do you play poker?"
The answers were as varied as the fashion on the red carpet, the funniest of responses coming from Star Jones.
"I have the worst poker face in the world," she said. "Every time I get a good hand, it's like..." and then she began clapping her hands and jumping up and down, "Hercules! Hercules! Hercules!"
I wasn't asking just to be nosy. There's was a point. Because PokerStars was a big part of throwing this bash, there was little question poker would be involved.
To wit: Beyond the velvet rope and up a flight of stairs, an eternity pool shimmered under the mood lighting. A seven-foot birthday cake in the form of Shaq himself stood against a mock Miami skyline. Waitresses with grilled lamb chops roamed the room as bartenders served high-dollar champagne and Hennessy. Queen-sized beds draped in soft red fabric lined the pool side, lit by single candles. Happy birthday M&Ms and cookies sat at bedside.
And there, under spotlights, sat two poker tables with Shaq's face on them.
Yes, indeed, this was more than a birthday party. It was a poker party.
Because many of the guests were poker neophytes, at first it was a matter of question whether they would belly-up to the felt. By and by, however, they arrived, and eventually stood two deep waiting for a seat. While most of the guests at the party could've afforded to buy half of Ocean Drive, the stakes were reasonable. A free buy-in to a Sit&Go got them the chance to win $500 for their favorite charity.
Before long, the cards were in the air. And, frankly, I couldn't resist sitting down for just one game.
On the very first hand, the dealer handed me pocket fives in early position. Having watched the play thus far, I knew I was playing with a field of likely limpers. So, I limped with half the players and hoped to see a good flop. But, on the button, Maimi Heat player Eddie Jones counted out almost half his stack and raised it up.
"Eddie, Eddie, Eddie." I muttered.
"What?" he said with a look of mock indignation. "I have a great hand."
While I believed him and mucked my little pocket pair, a player with AQ did not. Both players got all-in on a king-high flop and Jones showed a four and five suited in spades. Ace-high ended up winning the pot.
"How much is the rebuy?" Jones asked.
I survived until the final four, finally losing with my naked ace, and leaving it to one gentlemen who won two consecutive games, allowing PokerStars to donate $1000 to his church.
At the other table, actor Katt Williams was holding court, munching on a cigar and bluffing with his best acting ability. All the while, the dealers who had been pushed out of the box were circling around, offering advice to new players. The table lit up as more than seven feet of Shaquille O'Neal came and sat down in the two seat. Suddenly the flashbulbs were brighter than the spotlights and the players cared less about their chips than autographs. Later, I watched for a long while as the high-dollar guests battled their way to victory over and over again. Before the night was over, PokerStars had thrown Shaq one heckuva a birthday party and donated several thousand dollars to charity in the process.
As 3am turned into 4am, the party began to break up. The music ground to silence. The valets led the guests to their cars. The party was over.
And, yet, there was some murmuring.
Yes, indeed, we may just see one or two of those players at the World Series of Poker this year.
