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Dave Foley's Poker Face

Celebrity Poker Showdown has been an interesting gamble for Bravo. The show nearly went bust when Cingular Wireless withdrew sponsorship midway through its run, thanks to all the drinking and profanity. But Showdown still has a bright future in the cards. The second-season finale airs tomorrow at 9 pm/ET, and cohost Dave Foley, 41, says a third season is in the works. Here, the former NewsRadio and Kids in the Hall star dishes with TV Guide Online about the finale, his Will & Grace role and his commentating cohort, poker expert Phil Gordon. TVGO: How did you get this gig?Dave Foley: Bravo called to see if I was interested in doing it, but they wanted to know if I had any poker experience. Coincidentally, at the same time, I had been invited to play in the World Poker Tour's Celebrity Invitational. So I played in that. I had never played [the poker game] Texas Hold'em before, but I was the last celebrity in it. I fin

Angel Cohn
Celebrity Poker Showdown has been an interesting gamble for Bravo. The show nearly went bust when Cingular Wireless withdrew sponsorship midway through its run, thanks to all the drinking and profanity. But Showdown still has a bright future in the cards. The second-season finale airs tomorrow at 9 pm/ET, and cohost Dave Foley, 41, says a third season is in the works. Here, the former NewsRadio and Kids in the Hall star dishes with TV Guide Online about the finale, his Will & Grace role and his commentating cohort, poker expert Phil Gordon.

TVGO: How did you get this gig?
Dave Foley:
Bravo called to see if I was interested in doing it, but they wanted to know if I had any poker experience. Coincidentally, at the same time, I had been invited to play in the World Poker Tour's Celebrity Invitational. So I played in that. I had never played [the poker game] Texas Hold'em before, but I was the last celebrity in it. I finished like 10th or 11th [overall]. So after that, I had about 12 hours of poker experience.

TVGO: You replaced Kevin Pollak, but you and Phil seem to be a good pair.
Foley:
I think we've got a pretty good chemistry together. I think it comes from the fact that I know nothing about what he's talking about, but I like him. And he thinks I'm an idiot, but a charming idiot. We get along great.

TVGO: These matches can go on for hours. What do you do when the cameras aren't rolling?
Foley:
The camera is never not on. The shows are edited down from usually about five hours. Last time, we did two [matches] a day, and the cameras were on pretty much nonstop. Sometimes, you can tell that Phil and I start to glaze over.

TVGO: Do you feel pressure to be funny the whole time?
Foley:
Well, it's my job. So, yeah.

TVGO: Will we ever see an outtake reel?
Foley:
I don't know. I know that they just released an outtake reel of Groucho Marx from You Bet Your Life. It might take that long. You might have to wait for like 50 or 60 years.

TVGO: You've coined some funny new terms, like dubbing pocket fours as "sailboats" and a high-kicker card a "Rockette." Think any of those will become part of the poker lexicon?
Foley:
I didn't coin "sailboats"; that is actually one that people use. But "Rockettes" — that's mine. I kept trying to goad Vince van Patten into using them over on the World Poker Tour. Also, I like my "Flip the Floppity Floo." Phil told me he was playing in a game somewhere and someone actually said it.

TVGO: Do you have a weekly game now?
Foley:
I don't. I'm trying really hard to resist the notion that I might actually be good at the game, because then I'll just become just more celebrity dead meat for the pros.

TVGO: Will you be back for a third season?
Foley:
Yeah. We're actually going to start up again in the middle of August. We're going back up to the Palms. I'll be back and Phil will be back.

TVGO: Will there be a new sponsor?
Foley:
[Laughs] I don't know who is going to sponsor it yet. Hopefully, someone with a little more nerve.

TVGO: Will you be coming back to Will & Grace?
Foley:
I don't know. If they asked me, I would do it in a second. I don't think they ever killed off my character. I think I just disappeared in the way that sitcom characters do. I would go back in an instant if they asked because it was a great, great time being there. It was really fun and they are all really nice and really talented.

TVGO: The film you wrote, The Wrong Guy, is finally available stateside on DVD. You must be pretty thrilled.
Foley:
Yeah! I'd be even more excited if people watched it. It is nice that at least people have the chance now because it is one of my favorite things that I ever did. I'm really happy that at least it is not going to completely disappear.

TVGO: So what should we expect from tomorrow night's finale?
Foley:
I shouldn't give anything away... And to help out with that, I've forgotten a lot about it.

TVGO: Um... Sounds like a memorable show then.
Foley:
It is very memorable.

TVGO: Any fun loser-lounge moments?
Foley:
I can't think of anything. There is... I'm sure. There are plenty and, don't get me wrong, but I have absolutely no short-term memory. I always have to ask my wife about stuff like that.