Getting interviewed... UPDATE #2: Link up! (OP)

[IowaSkinsFan]

So awhile ago i get a message on facebook from a reporter doing a story on UIGEA and young poker players. She's interested if I am one since i was a member of a UIGEA group. I tell her my poker life, and she asks me if I would like to do an interview. So on Wednesday, she's going to come to my apartment and interview me on camera!!!

I'm super excited, but I also realize this is a big responsibility for me to not sound stupid, and make intelligent points. This is what she said the interview would be about.

"I am interviewing young people, on camera, about their online gambling habits and why/why not they think they should be able to continue gambling online."

I'm mostly interested on help for the second point. I mean pretty much I was going to bring up these points.
1. We live in a free country: We live in a place where people feel as their liberties should not be taken away.

I feel like at this point many points could be brought up. She could say "Well if people think something is obviously morally wrong like gambling should be banned because it's dangers are so apparent." In which i'd like to bring up some sort of counter example, such as vegetarians banning meat or what not, but a much better example.
This leads to:
2. The legislation is hypocritical: People who support the bill for moral reasons need to look at the facts. This bill does not ban gambling, in fact it specifically doesn't ban horse racing and lottery. Casino's are still around. They clearly don't care to ban gambling, but rather ban forms that don't benefit them. I remember Barney Frank saying he thought the reason for the legislation is because it didn't contribute to the GDP.

Please help me out guys, it could really help.

(Oh Admins, btw I plan on wearing my FTR t-shirt during the interview!)

{WildBob Edit: Here's the link http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/....aspx?id=71799 }

[Chopper]

put all your "people skills" to use here. you want to come across "likeable." smile, maybe show some wit. dont just blast her with numbers/statistics/surveys. work them into the conversation gradually. time for your "poker face." no matter what she says, or how she says it...she cannot see you react in any way other than charismatically. i'm sure you'll do fine.

start preaching self-discipline, and that not all gamblers are degens (so DRESS RESPECFULLY....maybe coat and tie, seriously)...thats just the vocal minority that "sells newspapers"...and legislation.you also may want to find a way to quell the "gamblers are victims" bullshit she will inevitably bring up.



do your research and find some examples of other people, like yourself, that put themselves through school...or make a living...by playing responsibly.

also, it may not hurt to have HER agree that none of your comments will be edited in ANY way.

also, to help hammer point 2 home, be in favor of "industry regulation." if you can/dare, prove to her that you claim your income and pay taxes...or find someone who does. but, dont go down that road, if you dont claim it all...ldo. you may want to consult and accountant before you try that one.

but, taking a stand FOR the community, as a whole, is ballsy. hang them out there, but do it intelligently. gl

[phantom_lord]

but you don't gamble online

[zook]

but you don't gamble online

QFT. Dictate the terms of the debate. Poker is not gambling. In the short-term luck may dominate, just like in many, many games (and sports) but in the long-term, it's a game of skill.

I really suggest reading Annie Duke's recent testimony before Congress. Good stuff.

http://judiciary.house.gov/media/pdfs/Duke071114.pdf

[WildBobAA]

You should try to make the point that while poker can be abused by certain people with an addiction, a responsible person can play poker recreationally as a hobby as long as they have control over themselves. We live in a free country and people should have the right to choose whether or not they are able to play poker just like they can choose whether or not they can drink alcohol, or smoke/chew tobacco. Obviously alcohol and tobacco aren't "good" for a person but they are legal and people have the choice whether or not to use them.

I would stay away from trying to separate poker from gambling as the vast majority of the population lumps the two together without a second thought. It's just an argument you can't win.

[bigred]

GIVE ME A SHOUT OUT!!!!1

[WildBobAA]

Poker is gambling by the way look at the definition of gambling.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gambling

It's a form of gambling a competent person can win money doing but it's a form of gambling nonetheless.

[euphoricism]

Theyll ask you why you dont think Poker is gambling. The best answer I've found is not to say poker isn't gambling, but to continually repeat that it is a game of skill with luck involved.

Poker is a game of skill, with elements of luck involved. This is not the same as gambling. We know this because you can intentionally lose. If I flip a coin, I can't purposely lose. If we bet on that coin flip, we're definitely gambling. Now look at a definite game of skill: Chess. There is no doubt that someone can intentionally lose at chess.

Poker combines both of these, and resides in a gray area much like investing in the stock market, and no one says that's gambling, and there's no stigma attached to being a stock broker for a living. There is indeed a lot of luck in both Poker and picking stocks, but there is a lot more skill. Its about finding bets, or stocks, where you're most likely to come out ahead, and repeating that time after time.

To compare poker to something like roulette, craps, or baccarat is silly. Even comparing it to blackjack is a stretch because we don't play against the casinos, and we never win the casino's money. We play against other people and the casino takes its cut in return for supplying the tables, dealers, lighting, drinks and everything else.

[sauce123]

dont do an interview u might get audited or shit

[WildBobAA]

Euph, what is YOUR definition of gambling?

[thizzSantaCruz]

Props to you ISF for doing this. I'm sure you are going to make a great impression. Make sure you get a copy of the interview so you can post it up online and we can watch it.

[flomo]

rigged

[euphoricism]

Euph, what is YOUR definition of gambling?

Betting anything of value on an outcome which is not guaranteed.

However, that definition has absolutely no practical use, and it is not the usage the "banners" are using.

An interesting fact, darts was banned from London pubs because games of chance were illegal while games of skill were not. A pub owner was fined for allowing it. He contested the fine, and called the top professional dart player in Europe as a witness. The magistrate of the court called out a random number on the dart board, and the pro nailed it. Again, and again, and again.

If only it were that easy with poker. But I'm OK with that. In any other game, golf for instance, its quickly obvious which player has more skill. The worse player quickly demands a handicap or he'll no longer play (at least for money). Poker masks that skill edge, and allows the bad players to continue to think its just bad luck. I'm cool with that.

[sauce123]

whoever thinks poker isnt gambling should play me hu

[spoonitnow]

Poker is gambling period k thx

[IowaSkinsFan]

Poker is gambling given the dictionary definition of gambling
Poker ISNT gambling for SOME based on most peoples definition of gambling.

I'm not going to try to distinguish it.

[Chopper]

Poker is gambling given the dictionary definition of gambling
Poker ISNT gambling for SOME based on most peoples definition of gambling.

I'm not going to try to distinguish it.

dont. you cant win that argument, as you can see just from this very thread. besides, there are a couple of quotes from sklansky or harrington themselves saying that poker IS gambling and anyone who debates it is kidding themselves. they also go on to parallel the stock market w/ "the short-term outcome is unknown."

we all know that the stock market is gambling, too, but we all use it as an "educated" way to increase the returns on our money. there are safer instruments, like bonds and pocket pairs, but THOSE LOSE MONEY, TOO, at times. there are riskier instruments, like options and suited gappers, that HIT HOMERUNS.

the key is balance and discipline. put a balanced portfolio/gameplan together and execute it with discipline. and, more times than not, you come out ahead. in some cases, WAY AHEAD. but, you can still lose, too. you simply dont know; therefore, you are taking on risk...and thats gambling. period.

now, turn it back around on your interviewer...but, since we can agree that we are in fact gambling, whats the difference between me being allowed to do so inside the MGM Grand or in my home on a computer? why is there a need to distinguish the two? is it because the government cant track one method, but can track the other? let me ask you, is THAT fair?

stick to what we want to accomplish.....regulation and legalization. point out that the government hypocritically decided that we CAN gamble on instruments THEY control (lotteries) and CANNOT on instruments they dont control (internet gambling)...and that is unfair and takes away our fundamental freedoms guaranteed us by the very foundations this country was built upon. and, that the government unethically passed the bill neatly tucked in with a "security measure" no politician seeking re-election could ever vote against with his constituents so afraid of terrorists.

and, like i said before, check into the accountant/lawyer thing because you could be exposing yourself to things you cannot foresee (they WILL have proof admissible by courts now).

[Galapogos]

My best tip to make you seem smart: have Massimo go in your place.

OH SNAP!

[IowaSkinsFan]

I talked to a lawyer (lol my dad) and he strongly recommended I don't do this interview, so I've decided not to do it.

[2_Thumbs_Up]

Compare it to a dangerous sport like rock climbing. If you don't take neccessary precautions and prepare, rock climbing can be very dangeroues. As can poker be if you don't know what you're doing. The BIG difference is that if you take precautions, rock climbing is still quite dangeroues while poker becomes pretty harmless. Banning something that is merely a hobby for most people because because it's harmfull for a few is wrong. Should we ban motorsports because a few have died participating in it?

[givememyleg]

I talked to a lawyer (lol my dad) and he strongly recommended I don't do this interview, so I've decided not to do it.

why is that?

[zook]

Obviously it hinges on your definition of gambling. But even if you think poker is gambling (and I don't, although I think it involves gambling, just like many games and sports) the key point is that poker is a profoundly different sort of gambling than blackjack, craps, slots, roulette, the lottery, etc. A skilled player can win! I think this is an enormously important distinction to make when discussing the issue with laypeople.

[IowaSkinsFan]

I talked to a lawyer (lol my dad) and he strongly recommended I don't do this interview, so I've decided not to do it.

why is that?

I don't want to say for the same reason I don't want to do the interview.

[WildBobAA]

Obviously it hinges on your definition of gambling. But even if you think poker is gambling (and I don't, although I think it involves gambling, just like many games and sports) the key point is that poker is a profoundly different sort of gambling than blackjack, craps, slots, roulette, the lottery, etc. A skilled player can win! I think this is an enormously important distinction to make when discussing the issue with laypeople.

I agree with this as do most poker players, but the problem is that from my experience, lay people just don't care, even if you present them with this argument. That's why I think it would have been best just to avoid this whole topic entirely.


ISF, I'm also curious as to why your dad told you to not do this interview.

Edit: To clarify, I agree that poker is different from other forms of gambling in which a skilled player can win money but that doesn't change that fact that poker is still gambling. To everyone that says poker isn't gambling: you're altering the definition of gambling. The definition of gambling isn't "risking money in such a way that the person doing so can have a mathematical advantage". If I convince someone to make a straight up 1:1 bet with me on the Patriots vs Dolphins, clearly I'm a big favorite to win but does that mean I'm not gambling? Not at all, that's still gambling.

[zook]

ISF, I'm also curious as to why your dad told you to not do this interview.

He might have a reason not to want to get audited by the IRS, arh.

[Jack Sawyer]

Poker is gambling.
Stock market is much much gambling.
Bingo is gambling.
Anytime there is speculation, there is gambling. FOREX is gambling.
Sitting shotgun with a rookie driver is gambling.


In any gambling situation, someone has to lose, and someone has to win. That's the nature of gambling.


Why did you choose not to do the interview?

[flomo]

good fold isf

[IowaSkinsFan]

ISF, I'm also curious as to why your dad told you to not do this interview.

He might have a reason not to want to get audited by the IRS, arh.

Talked to a financial advisor this afternoon, told me there is nothing to worry about as I am doing nothing wrong in terms of taxes given complete details of the situation.


BACK ON BABY.

[meeloche]

I might be wrong but your gov seems to take their laws pretty seriously, has anybody actually been prosecuted for playing online which would technically be illegal?

ps what network would this be on, I'm sure I'm not alone in wanting to see the interview.

[euphoricism]

has anybody actually been prosecuted for playing online which would technically be illegal?

Nope. Further IIRC, it's not illegal to play or withdraw, its illegal to deposit.

[Chopper]

I might be wrong but your gov seems to take their laws pretty seriously, has anybody actually been prosecuted for playing online which would technically be illegal?

ps what network would this be on, I'm sure I'm not alone in wanting to see the interview.

our gov't does anything but take our laws seriously. how else can you explain the overcrowding of prisons? or the loooooooong legal processes?

when the system works, it works well. when it fails, it fails badly. but, when our laws are actually ENFORCED....its the best place in the world to live. the problem is they arent really enforced properly.

[IowaSkinsFan]

Playing poker isn't illegal.

[meeloche]

Wow i didn't realize that they only banned you from depositing online, (I guess I'm ignorant) what a weird law. I'd be so pissed if my government tried to pull something like that. Anyway just ignore me I'm finally caught up I guess. Maybe I should start watching the news...

[Ash256]

You'd probably get crucified as a degen gambler scumbag if the paper didn't have a liberal bias.

I guess the reason you were advised against doing this is because of potential future career prospects/family reputation.

[biondino]

Note: she said she's interviewing people about their HABITS. That word seems really loaded to me. I might ask her to clarify whether she was using the word meaning hobby, or meaning addiction; if the former, suggest she doesn't use the word habit, and if the latter, then you'll at least know what you're up against.

I'd also concentrate on the learning aspect of the game, how it requires discipline, study, practice and a mixture of mathematics and psychology. Make it clear that one of the main joys you get is using your brain for money and pleasure - a simple demonstration of the maths involved, or probability, even of game theory.

If, as the interview proceeds, it becomes clear she has an agenda to vilify either you or the game/lifestyle, try not to fall into traps, such as using the same terminology a junkie would. Equally, don't get defensive or argumentative. There are clearly concerns about people who are prone to lose more than they afford gambling. You recognise this, and encourage these people to seek help - a regulated, legal US poker landscape would be a huge help, reducing the stigma and providing official channels of support where needed. Stress how much of a difference a player can make to their game with even a small amount of studying, and how bankroll management is a tried and tested mechanism for preventing undue risk.

[meeloche]

I'd also concentrate on the learning aspect of the game, how it requires discipline, study, practice and a mixture of mathematics and psychology. Make it clear that one of the main joys you get is using your brain for money and pleasure - a simple demonstration of the maths involved, or probability, even of game theory.

If, as the interview proceeds, it becomes clear she has an agenda to vilify either you or the game/lifestyle, try not to fall into traps, such as using the same terminology a junkie would. Equally, don't get defensive or argumentative. There are clearly concerns about people who are prone to lose more than they afford gambling. You recognise this, and encourage these people to seek help - a regulated, legal US poker landscape would be a huge help, reducing the stigma and providing official channels of support where needed. Stress how much of a difference a player can make to their game with even a small amount of studying, and how bankroll management is a tried and tested mechanism for preventing undue risk.

I think this is very important. People don't realize just how much thinking you're doing at the table. There is such a difference from how a good player and a gambler play poker which most people don't realize. There is so much more to poker than just the cards you're holding. I'm going to stop generalizing now but overall I think biondino made a great post.

[flomo]

don't do it


but if you do say things like

all in
donkey
donkaments
all you can eat baby
rigged
lol nh sir
they were sooooted

[meeloche]

all in
donkey
donkaments
all you can eat baby
rigged
lol nh sir
they were sooooted

If I may add to flomo's list:
raisy daisy
If there weren't luck involved i'd win everyone one
if you call its going to be all over baby
you called me with that?

[Numbr2intheWorld]

All give you $25 if you somehow fit in "like duh, obviously" into the interview

[Chopper]

All give you $25 if you somehow fit in "like duh, obviously" into the interview

just tell them...bla bla bla..."ldo"

"oh, thats an inside joke between some regs i know."

only you have to actually say, "ACRONYM RENTON HATES" for it to count.

do that, and i may up it to $50. lol.

[IowaSkinsFan]

One reason i decided to do this again was because from what she has said it really seems like this is going to be a good and positive report.

[chardrian]

if you bang her I bet you get a rave review.

[wufwugy]

Poker is gambling with expected returns based on skill.

So no different than anything else anywhere ever.

And you should show her your pee bottle.

[gabe]

just dont say obviously so much

[Jack Sawyer]

One reason i decided to do this again was because from what she has said it really seems like this is going to be a good and positive report.

And you believed a reporter?

Whoa!

[flomo]

ask her
"is asshat a verb?"

[IowaSkinsFan]

just dont say obviously so much

obviously! lol

[IowaSkinsFan]

K so i just got done with the interview.

All and all I'm not that satisfied with it. I felt like I didn't give great answers to the questions she posed to me and the questions weren't all that great. She said its going to be up on Friday so I'll make sure to post the link here. I think in general my facial expressions were pretty dumb, hopefully that doesn't show!

A positive from all this is she told me she posed this story to her editor, and he told her "Oh cool go find some degen whose wasting away his life." But she told me she instead wanted to do a story on someone who is doing well with online poker and is contributing to his education. This is a student working for a student network so I think her intentions are in the right place.

I wore my FTR shirt, so that's cool.

I'm just hoping she does a good job with it. It's not going to be in the mainstream media or anything but its something we could show people at least if it turns out well. And if it doesn't we can all just laugh at me!!

[Jack Sawyer]

But you did bang her right?

Either before, during or afterwards?

[Numbr2intheWorld]

reporter chick: so ok the interview is done thanks a lot!
Danny: suck me, beautiful

[Irisheyes]

I think in general my facial expressions were pretty dumb,

This made me lol hard for some reason.

[Galapogos]

I think in general my facial expressions were pretty dumb,

This made me lol hard for some reason.

Same.

[Irisheyes]

I think in general my facial expressions were pretty dumb,

This made me lol hard for some reason.

Same.

I think if puts an image in my head of ISF with his big moppy hair sitting on a chair in a room with a reporter and his face just making all these random contorted expressions like he has no control over them.

Haha I still can't stop laughing.

[ttanaka]

hahaha - can't wait for this!

[flomo]

he will never give us the link to the interview

[IowaSkinsFan]

his face just making all these random contorted expressions like he has no control over them.
.

I think this has more truth to it then you may have thought when you originally wrote it.

[mixchange]

i was on bbc world service, many french newspapers, quoted in fox news, others, they botched it all and sometimes lied. dont get your hopes up

[Dislexsik]

poker isnt gambling, just coinflipping

[thepokervirgin]

make sure your playing online poker and are stoned while your being interviewed...that will send a good message

[Miffed22001]

id show the key difference between casino games and poker, the person element

[IowaSkinsFan]

Here's the link:
http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/....aspx?id=71799

I didn't look as dumb as I thought I did!
Hope you guys like it, its a pretty positive story.

1 to 10 on reporter also? I give her a 9, she was super attractive!

[zook]

Nice job ISF. Although you looked a little like this guy at the end

Reporter looked like she could be an 8, but it was hard to tell with all the makeup.

[ChrisTheFish]

Lol @ the oh so cheesy line of "and until then, poker players will keep going.. all in" YOUR WATCHING A LIMIT GAME OBV

Oh, nice interview btw

[givememyleg]

Nice job ISF. Although you looked a little like this guy at the end

Reporter looked like she could be an 8, but it was hard to tell with all the makeup.

haha yeah the eye roll was classic! nice job isf, was interesting to watch.

[flomo]

I look as dumb as I thought I did!
Hope you guys like it, its a pretty positive story.

1 to 10 on reporter also? I give her a 9, she was super attractive!

i'll give her a 9
good story



are we all dorks?

[seoul_child1]

not bad, but what's up with all the head wobble... lol

[Jack Sawyer]

3/10 on the reporter


and what's up with the eyeroll, ISF?

overall, a nice interview though

[meeloche]

3/10 on the reporter

I expected better from you Jack. She was smoking, I thought the 8's and 9's people were giving here were low.

[givememyleg]

i just dont listen to jacks rating anymore. since he gave jessica alba 5/10 he had to give the reporter a lower score

[IowaSkinsFan]

not bad, but what's up with all the head wobble... lol

You try getting interviewed on camera and getting asked some weird questions by a smoking hot reporter.

[Galapogos]

not bad, but what's up with all the head wobble... lol

He figured hey, George Clooney gets all the bitches, lets see if I can't get that head wobble to swing a little action my way!

[bigspenda73]

dude at least comb the hair

[flomo]

dude at least comb the hair

you can get the internet poker player out of the basement, you can't get the basement out of the internet poker player

[uscheese]

drugsrcoollol

[IowaSkinsFan]

dude at least comb the hair

you can get the internet poker player out of the basement, you can't get the basement out of the internet poker player

I lol'd