According to his personal blog, A.J. Benza revealed that GSN’s “High Stakes Poker” will return for Season 6 featuring Gabe Kaplan and a female co-host. New episodes will begin airing in February on the popular cable station.
A flood of support from fans of Benza follows his High Stakes Poker blog entry, which was published on Sunday. In it, he noted that on a conference call last week, GSN executives Barry Nugent and David Shiff hinted that Benza might be replaced by a female co-host. Benza, as expected, did not take the news lightly, telling the two GSN “suits” on the call, “If you got the best pizza in town for 5 seasons, why try and add licorice to it?” The fifth cycle of “High Stakes Poker” began airing in March and featured a veritable “who’s who” of the poker world, including Tom “durrrr” Dwan, Barry Greenstein, Doyle Brunson, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Laak, and newcomers Peter Eastgate, Joe Hachem, and Ilari “Ziigmund” Sahamies.
Facing the possibility of being replaced, Benza reminded GSN officials that he publicizes the show on his own watch “because GSN has never set up not even as much as a radio interview for me.” Benza also asked if Nugent and Shiff were fathers, which the former host explained in his blog entry that they were. He continued, “So surely they would know the hardships of losing a top-rated gig while raising little children in the process. (Oh and did I mention that I have a son who is a Freshman in college). So armed with my track record on giving GSN 5 seasons of a No. 1 rated show, I decided to hit them in the spot where it’s supposed to make a father go mush.”
Benza told Nugent and Shiff that he would take a pay cut to remain the host of Season 6 of the popular poker cash game show, which survived a management change at GSN that resulted in the network declining to pick up its option to carry Season 7 of the World Poker Tour (WPT). Consequently, WPT officials were left scrambling to find a new television partner in the middle of 2008 before finally settling on Fox Sports Net, which will also air the eighth season of the WPT. Benza lamented, “I just want to put it out there y’all. This is the kind of shit that goes on in Hollywood.”
On his future, Benza told readers that he will have a face to face meeting with Nugent: “I will have my meeting with Nugent – and I promise I won’t stab him with a butter knife. He and I go way back to my E! days, and honestly, he’s a good guy.” As to who will sit alongside Kaplan in the “High Stakes Poker” booth this season, Benza hinted, “I hope you like the female they toss in front of you. And I hope the repartee between she and Gabe works likes ours did.”
As expected, the online poker forums have been buzzing with the news that Benza may soon find his way out of “High Stakes Poker,” although no official announcement has come down from GSN. Speculation on Benza’s replacement has ranged from Team PokerStars Pro member Vanessa Rousso to ESPN announcer Norman Chad’s crush Kara Scott. Despite not necessarily footing the bill as “eye candy,” posters on the TwoPlusTwo forum clamored that Ali Nejad, who hosts “Poker After Dark” and the “National Heads-Up Poker Championship” on NBC, should be considered.
On October 6th, Rousso posted a curious Twitter entry that read, “PokerStars Million Dollar Challenge is wrappppped! Woot! Meetings today about another TV project, will keep you all posted.” Just before the start of the National Heads-Up Poker Championship in Las Vegas in March, Rousso inked an agreement to become the newest GoDaddy Girl, joining Danica Patrick, Anna Rawson, Marina Orlova, and original site symbol Candice Michelle.
We’ll keep you posted right here on Poker News Daily.
Im just watched the first show of the new High Stakes Poker season and was disgusted that A.J. is not a co-host but some senseless replacement, some woman. Hello? What goes with this no-nothing supposed “co-host? Is she someones girlfriend? She needs to go and bring back A.J. who was great.
I really enjoyed the banter and knowledge he added to the show. It was much more interesting. This is a very bad decision.
Then they are not picking up the other poker show this season either???
This lineup was one of the few tv shows I looked forward to seeing and that I ever watch and now High Stakes has gone flat.
The remaining co-host must talk non-stop now.
Bring back AJ and get rid of the woman who adds nothing to the show, in fact detracts from the great show it was.
You should have kept AJ and got rid of Kaplin….
TJ Donley
I was looking forward to this show so much – I watch the repeats of previous seasons every week. What a massive disappointment.
It’s terrible. Gabe is funny, but he has to play off of someone, and A.J. was perfect for that. Whether they actually liked each other or not, it doesn’t matter – their chemistry was great, and now it’s gone.
Gabe can’t do all of the commenting by himself. He cracks a joke and it just sits there – no one responds.
Very, very disappointing.
Greg S. describes it well. Kaplan is good, but needs someone to work off of. Benza was good in that role. The interviews Kara Scott did were kind of interesting, but she should get rid of that notebook that’s sitting in front of her. It makes her look like she has to refer to notes when talking to the guest.
Keep Kara for the interviews, but bring back AJ for the banter. Kaplan can’t do it alone. It’s too flat.
GSN…poor choice on dropping AJ Benza…Kaplan needs someone to play off of…AJ represented the person who doesn’t know every aspect of poker..which allowed Gabe to enlighten him and the audience at the same time…the Kara Scott addition is fine, but you have upset a nice balance that has been working well for five seasons…I love the show, but you are overmanaging….Like in poker, sometimes it is the moves you don’t make that make you a success!
I just watched the High Stakes Poker show of the season and I have to say that dropping AJ Benza was a terrible decision. Kaplan just talks and talks and talks…he needs someone to exchange banter with. I suppose that Kara Scott might know about poker…but, she is BORING!!! Is she someone’s mistress or what? Bring back AJ.
yes, kaplan and benza worked as a great duo… but more importantly… the whole premiss for the show was supposed to be a window in to a real high-stakes poker game. having said that: how does this new “interview” segment make any sense? that smacks of televised tournament play, not high-stakes. so if kara’s entrance to the series is for interviews, then it’s a poor choice and really detracts from the original point of the show, and absolutely adds nothing – unless the producers goal is to water down a great original program and homogenize it to the point of being like all the other televised poker shows currently out there. we have a sadly typical “fixing-what-aint-broke” syndrome here, spawned on by a fear/desire to be like other shows. whatever… i don’t think i’ll tune in anymore.
High Stakes Poker is worse without AJ Benza. Kara Scott???????? Seriously, you guys are idiots.
The show is clearly lacking the chemistry it used to have. Perhaps the executives could improve the show by putting Jay Leno on as a lead-in.
Gabe Kaplan alone is a bad move.
Why screw with a good thing??? It feels like poker after dark now… very fake and artificial, Gabe and AJ were a great duo of commentators, the best I’ve ever heard (particularly Gabe) This is very unfortunate.
One more example of out of touch executives. AJ and Gabe were a near perfect duo for HSP, yet the top guys never can leave well enough alone. The exec’s at the GSN are the same guys who ran the American economy into the toilet. different names and addresses, but the same bad breath. Bring back AJ Benza you morons! And give him a raise!
The show clearly is boring without AJ Benza!!!…….Kaplan can’t carry the show alone…….bring back “Martin & Lewis”………wtf are the producer’s thinking!!! dumb-asses!!!
What a horrible decision – A.J. was half of the – yes everyone loves to watch the poker, but would you watch it with no sound – well that’s what it’s like without A.J. Gabe is great, but without A.J. to bounce the great comments off – it’s just another show on T.V. How disappointing and i’m sure you will lose more viewers – because you just lost one.
It’s like watching Abbott instead of Abbott and Costello. Just a tip to the folks at GSN. the commentary made the show fun and Gabe falls flat with no one to bounce it off. Maybe you could do some more lame a#@ interviews to spice up the show – Good job! What’s next – Try replacing Kara Scott with a juggling midget on a unicycle – It would be great!
Just tuned in th HSP for the first time this season, I missed last week’s game. Gabe trys awfully hard to give the play by play but the color man is gone. AJ was a big personality and worked well with Gabe. So I turn down the sound listen to some music whilw I watch the show. AJ and Gabe were show within the show.
I have always liked Gabe, but the show really lacks something without AJ. Bad move taking him off the show.
I wish I could fire the guys who made the stupid decision to get rid of AJ. Kaplan’s jokes don’t work without a partner. And that girl is totally useless.
I wonder if they made a bet ala Trading Places. They each bet a dollar, with one of them betting they could tank the show by replacing the good back and forth banter of Kaplan and AJ with a one-man team of Kaplan and a generic chick.
I have been watching high stakes poker for several years. You all are right… AJ was a classy straight man. Gabes jokes seem dumb now. and the dynamic of the waitress’ and the girlfriends in the background was cool. It seemed like a natual enviroment for the players.. Now they want to do poker after dark and I don’t think that is as good of a show. These guys read are going by the saying, if it aint broke change it. Huh wha ?
BRING BACK AJ. GABE LOOKS INCOMPLETE
Dito, terrible move, Kara’s good at what she does, but jezz, axeing AJ was just dumb, bring back AJ already. And lose the fking interviews, they just eat up the limited play time. This show has been great for 5 seasons and now its just ok.
The new season is terrible without A.J. Someone should try to get a online petition to bring him back and link it to the show. This way the Exec.’s understand what a mistake it was.
Tell The Game Show Network they made a mistake! “Your message has been sent! Someone from the GSN Help Team will reply to you as soon as possible (usually well within 48 hours).”
Darn, I just found out that A. J. Benza won’t be back. He and Gabe were so good together. Whose idiotic idea was this? Someone needs to react to Gabe’s remarks. Duh–great job corporation!
Ok I’ve tried to find a way to send a comment/email to GSN programming. I can’t find a way, anyone know how?
The show is not as good without A.J. What were they thinking? Kaplan needs Benza to be the straight man, the way it used to be. Shame on the execs who made this change.
Kara Scott used to be a presenter on Sky Poker Channel in England and she is also a good tournament player. She is a good presenter and an attractive woman who has been put in a very awkward situation. Oh yes, she is a good kickboxer too.
I agree totally that without AJ this programme is just rubbish but take it easy on Kara, she is just doing a job.
GSN, bring back AJ Benza you fools. It is painful listening to Gabe and Kara trying to make a bad situation work.
Warren, try this link. It’s what I used yesterday and they responded to my email today.
http://www.gsn.com/cgi/help/index.html?show_support=general
Spoilt a great show getting rid of Benza! A great double act with Kaplan.
AJ was the Tits. I agree with other poster, this smacks of tournament. Most impartantly where tf is sammy farha he made this game!!!!!!!!!!!!
also seems to me Gabe demanded all cash or else…basically pushe AJ out
Its not working with just gabe. I used too tolerate this nonHD channel but now the show is becooming just a regular plain ordinary mimically old poker show with with the same flop turn and river cards. Does Nugent know how to play poker? Very sad to mess a good thing.
Where is A.J? I watch this program every week with my husband and we loved the comments made from both Kaplin and AJ…..we are terribly disappointed that AJ is not the co-host….the girl who replaced him is totally useless…..High Stakes Poker has now become just another crappy poker show that is boring and tries to sell itself by having a bimbo to lure more men into watching it…..HELLO i am a woman and love poker but please let’s just PLAY poker and forget the women for just a minute.
I have been incredibly busy the last month. I just sat down to watch one of my favorite shows, Hight Stakes Poker, and I’m perplexed at where AJ is. So I do a Google search and find out this crap. I can’t freaking believe it. You know these executives don’t have enough to do. They sit around thinking, how can I inject myself and show I’m worth something. Who cares that Benza and Kaplan work perfectly together. Let’s change it up and make the show “better”. Well it sucks. It really sucks. Gabe cracking jokes to silence? It’s no longer funny. How much do these clowns that decided to make this change earn? Of course they’ll blame the problems on Gabe next and get rid of him too, because it couldn’t be the dumb executives fault for screwing up a great show. I’m so angry. Is the guy who made this decision related to the guy who decided to play the Leno O’Brian game? Unbelievable! At least when the ratings go down, the producers will lose money, regardless of who they end up blaming (of course it wont be the dummy who made this decision, unless the dummy is the producer himself. Then serves him right). That’s the only solace I have.
Ok so who thinks this was a good move. Anyone, anyone out there???
Seriously, at first I thought that Kara Scott will be like a true co-host to Gabe in the commentary box.
However, she just does the interviews.
Why couldn’t AJ be there as well?
Poker seems to be extremely awesome this season, but Gabe telling jokes all by himself just feels awkward..
It was poker and entertainment, who could ask for more? Now it’s poker with Gabe making wise cracks to himself. Why would they break up a winning pair?
Officially stopped taping and watching this show.
Gabe should have been turfed!
I cant believe they picked to keep kaplan…
S
gimme abrk
obviously benza got all of his gooma buddies to post this site.. he was a total donkey.
noone saying Benza was the show just that he and Gabe made the show. Main coioment which i totally agree is Gabes jokes just falling down silently. Abbot needs hios costello.
I agree the show is very flat without AJ.
I would rate Gabe as 1, AJ as 2.3 and Kara as 2.7 for entertainment value.
Gabe and AJ rate together rate a 1, Gabe and Silence and Kara together rate a 4.3.
Kara is neither exciting nor disappointing. With Gabe and no-one else it’s like I’m listening to a stereo where the right speaker has been attacked by a hungry Labrador who thought the magnet was a bone.
Ardeet.
Have always liked Kaplan, however, by himself he is off game. Benza held him up and was a true straight man. The show is getting boring, you better look at your choice, not good. Now that I have made this comment, my bet is no one from the network will read it.
I really loved the show with A J. Now it is so boring, and I gave it a shot.Now I put the stereo on and listen to music instead of listening to Gabe trying to make himself laugh.BAD BAD MOVE,You execs. are idiots…..
AJ and Gabe were the best combo in broadcast poker history. Together… that is. Gabe Kaplan is one of the funniest and sharpest witted ever and AJ was the perfect foil.
To put it simply, GSN executives are stupid wankers. You have ruined the best poker programme there was. Now Gabe just sounds like a stereotypical jew comedian telling jokes in silence.
I have to agree with the overwhelming belief that the show was better with the exchange between AJ an Gabe. I also think the distinction between a look into a High Stakes Table Game and the oft-available tournament offerings is important and worth maintaining. The discussion between AJ and Gabe did more to present that insight.
Okay okay. I have watched every episode of high stakes poker including all of the new shows aired thus far in 2010. I knew A.J. was axed prior to the new season starting and was very skeptical of the move but I wanted to reserve judgment until I had the opportunity to watch a couple of the episodes with Kaplan and Scott. Well I can tell you that I am so disappointed thus far. I loved the chemistry that Gabe and A.J. had with one another and now it is all gone. I play poker routinely at the local dog track so I really enjoyed this show. But now it is just another boring poker show with no energy. To the person(s) who made this move I have to say, being a loyal fan for years, that you really blew it. You could still have Scott do the interviews, have Negraneau do the “did you know” segment and still have A.J. and Gabe work together but I know I am just wasting my breath. Thanks a lot for ruining such a good television program. I hope the show tanks and you are forced to bring A.J. back with double his salary.
What a disappointment now that A.J. is no longer on high stakes poker. It use to be fun to watch. Now it’s rather flat with Gabe trying to make it interesting. It just doesn’t work. The interviews… whats up with that. Why do we even need to hear her dribble. blah blah blah. The shows was fun to watch but now it’s just boring. Bring back A.J. before you loose too many fans of High Stakes Poker.
How could you possibly believe a woman (which I am) could add anything to High Stakes Poker?? She is dull and takes up too much time saying nothing. Bring back A.J. – -Gabe is just a comic trying to be funny and not doing a very good job. Was it money that was the deciding factor???
One comment here supporting the firing of AJ. GSN execs screwed the pooch!
Just catching my first show without AJ…..NOT good. Jumped the shark…corporate idiots messed with a great thing.