Poker Go big game stream today is awful and unwatchable

[Dan Druff]

Today's stream was promoted as "Everybody Hates Berkey", as four people who dislike Berkey (Airball, Polk, Persson, and Berkey's ex Lynne Ji) are playing at the table. Nobody at the table is pro-Berkey, but there's a few neutrals there such as Rob Yong and Jennifer Tilly.

Embedded Tweet

https://twitter.com/PokerGO/status/1651638843232370688


Not surprisingly, it's a complete shitshow, with tons of loud talking in the background during hands, with Lynne cackling loudly in response to pretty much everything. Just awful to watch, and a lot of people are complaining that it makes horrible TV.



To have this type of lineup and fuck it up is pretty incompetent. PokerGO should get control of the game and realize that people are trying to watch and enjoy this.

Airball talking shit doesn't really bother me. That's expected, and Berkey showed up knowing full well there would be such shit talking. But all the talking and cackling by people not in the hands is brutal.

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https://twitter.com/CherishAndrews/status/1651743952096178178

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https://twitter.com/Angelajordison/status/1651766266288381952

[podcast]

It's not the best, but not bad imo. Definitely more table talk than amazing poker play. From what I've watched it's mostly Rob Yong needling Doug (about his double patches and coinflex).

[Dive_Bar_Dave]

Yes Druff, Lynne Ji's constant laugh is horrifically annoying. The only other poker player who is as annoying as Lynne Ji is Brown Balla, when he was recently on Live at The Bike. His constant nasal stoner laugh after everything (mostly stuff he had just said) was impossible to listen to.

Also, Airball has a rough personality.

[BetCheckBet]

Reminded me of jewdonk on radio. Obviously Doug polk is playing a dead ringer drexel









Oh and Lynne ji is chinamaniac.

[simpdog]

They shouldn't have allowed Lynn on the stream.


The HCL Million Dollar game in May will be better quality with far less $ invested in production.

I have no problem with Airball. It's poker........I would definitely feel like punching him in the face if he treated me like Berkey, but at the same time this helps gain viewership/potential suckers at the table. Play on.

[Online Veteran]

I haven't watched it, but I think it's pretty crappy everybody ganging up against Berkey. If anything, he has a very inspiring life story to tell. It just goes to show you, anybody born in the United States has the opportunity to retire a millionaire (or multi-millionaire). You say a million dollars isn't what it used to be? Well, it's a heck of a lot better than what most people have.

[SlowRoll]

the fake laughing is so unbearable.
the personalities are disgusting.

these are not normal people 'putting on an act'.
these are just bad eggs.

[sonatine]

the fake laughing is so unbearable.
the personalities are disgusting.

these are not normal people 'putting on an act'.
these are just bad eggs.

im glad jerry springer didnt live long enough to see this.

[Dan Druff]

An alternate viewpoint:

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https://twitter.com/dankness3/status/1652121993632677891


The problem is that he's on the PokerGO payroll, so obviously isn't unbiased here. Should've just stayed out of this one.

[Dan Druff]

Some people felt that this stream would have the Polk/Negreanu effect, where after playing poker together, everyone would become friends and the beefs would be squashed.

I thought there was zero chance of this, and indeed I was right. Berkey was NOT having a good time, and let everyone know it:

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https://twitter.com/berkey11/status/1651867325308755969

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https://twitter.com/berkey11/status/1651996873585045523


I'm pretty sure Berkey will always hate Airball no matter what. He might eventually return to being cordial with Doug (if Doug backs off and stops trolling him), but he'll never be friendly with Doug, no matter what.

Berkey's reputation has improved as a result of all of this. Some of his haters have come around to like him -- or at least somewhat respect him. He has emerged as a sympathetic character here, which would be hard to picture from 2022, when some people disliked him due to the perception of arrogance. Many feel he has handled all of the trolling and attacks against him with class.

[Sloppy Joe]

Can't imagine anyone spending time watching this.

I used to like HSP 15 years ago, maybe it's always been completely unwatchable but whoa.

[sonatine]

Can't imagine anyone spending time watching this.

I used to like HSP 15 years ago, maybe it's always been completely unwatchable but whoa.

at first i was like ok im not going to pay for this if they arent going to hire gabe kaplan to do the commentary but at this point it seems pretty safe to say gabe kaplan saw where this show was heading and simply didnt return their calls.

[Dan Druff]

Can't imagine anyone spending time watching this.

I used to like HSP 15 years ago, maybe it's always been completely unwatchable but whoa.

at first i was like ok im not going to pay for this if they arent going to hire gabe kaplan to do the commentary but at this point it seems pretty safe to say gabe kaplan saw where this show was heading and simply didnt return their calls.

The only good news here is the fact that it was streamed for free.

And to be honest, Nick Schulman actually does a very good job with the commentary, so that wasn't the issue here.

The players were the issue, which can be partially blamed on PokerGO not setting down some parameters for the behavior expected on stream.

[Dan Druff]

Pretty good take from this guy, who also is a PFA Radio listener (last I heard, at least):

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https://twitter.com/BrianWSOP/status/1652426203352158208