The co-hosts of the World Poker Tour join us from the auditions for “The Raw Deal” at The Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles. Poker Hall of Famer Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten were on hand in the audition area to see some of the try-outs from the general public to see who would get a call-back. Joining them at the judges table is Sean Gibson who asked them about this opportunity for anyone off the street to potentially find themselves a role on Season 9 of the WPT. Vince Van Patten, no stranger to the Hollywood audition scene as he comes from an acting family, talks about a few “clunkers” that have already come through. He also talks about the right and wrong way to audition for a part and gave some comments about the entire process.
The “Raw Deal” is a new segment coming on the World Poker Tour which will showcase a new, fresh and edgy poker personality who will hold no punches when it comes time to criticize players on the WPT broadcasts. The production team has stated many times over that they are looking for the next Simon Cowell (former American Idol judge) who is funny, smart and charismatic who at the same time is known for being brutally honest but gives praise when it is due. The segment will be for about 45 seconds and according to reports appear in 12 to 15 episodes for Season 9.
At the auditions it was not just random people looking for a break in the TV industry that tried out, but many actors in the Los Angeles area looking to get a break came out as well. In addition, some notable pros we’ve seen on television before also threw their name in the hat, such as Joe Sebok, Clonie Gowan, Ali Nejad and Bryan Devonshire. During the interview both Van Patten and Sexton comment on the caliber of poker player that auditioned during the process. For those those people that couldn’t make it out to Los Angeles, a Facebook submission process was held with fans getting to vote for their favorite. The top vote getters will get an invitation to the call-backs before a final decision for the new host is made.
The World Poker Tour is hosted by Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten and is now in its ninth season and can be seen on Fox Sports Net in the United States.