Originally Posted by
Dan Druff
So Polk's attacks on Negreanu are mostly true and justified, but he's also made a bigger deal out of them than the situation deserves, both because of dislike for Negreanu personally and the personal gain from the views.
We made 240 videos last year. The vast majority of them are boring hand breakdowns. It is ironic that you and Daniel make a big deal out of the handful of dramatic ones while saying things like this.
One of the reasons I walked away from poker media is that I disliked how corrupt the industry can be. Many journalists cozy up to popular players and give them preferential treatment. Sometimes they avoid certain topics to keep advertisers happy. Surely you remember companies like CardPlayer and their relationships with UB/Lock. I came up against this a few times myself, and I don't blame anyone for it, the game is the game. But it never sat well with me.
Now PokerStars outright owns the largest media company in the industry. They
don't even try to hide it anymore. They're also buying out anyone they can with reach and influence, such as Twitch streamers. Grassroots fan favorites transformed into soulless corporate shills.
I can honestly say that if PokerStars had reached out to me in 2016 and offered me a well-paying job, I would have told them to eat shit. I enjoy being able to speak my mind, especially after spending a few years walking on eggshells. And I especially enjoy calling out charlatans and scammers. I always have, it's something I'm very good at. That's why I started making videos as a hobby in the first place. That's one of the reasons I registered at this forum and used to spend a lot of time here. It's why I admired Daniel when he used to have the integrity to do the same, such as with Annie Duke and her Epic Poker League.
That freedom comes at a price, and I have closed some doors for myself. Doug has even bigger opportunities, and is out torching bridges instead. That's one of the perks of having
Fuck You Money. That's why this narrative of "grandstanding for the views and cash" is so absurd. He could have
easily kissed everyone's ass, built a bigger following, got more TV time, landed a big sponsorship deal, and justified paying me more.
And if Doug had come to me with that gameplan in 2016 I would have told him to eat shit too.
Of course I have spent a lot of time in the lab figuring out how to package boring hand breakdowns to get maximum views. And when making videos about DNegs being a shell of his former self, I think in those same terms. But there is no ulterior motive for putting him or anyone else on blast. It's basically for the fucking lulz, like it always has been.