I moved to Los Angeles, because I noticed there was an artist movement centering on the club Largo and the film maker Paul Thomas Anderson. Aimee Mann was playing there every week, and around her were Jon Brion, Michael Penn, Fiona Apple, and comedians like Patton Oswald. I wasn’t talented enough to join in, but I saw a ton of great art.
Largo has moved since then, but I just saw this news item about a bitter white man. Well-adjusted man with good priorities sues Iliza Shlesinger over women-only comedy show
When I covered the World Series of Poker in 2007, I met the incredible Nolan Dalla. who had written a great book about poker legend Stu Unger. My first question to him was about Stu, who was likely the greatest Gin player ever, being banned from Gin tournaments. He had entered about six, won four and the other two I believe he was in the semis and just didn’t show up for the last day. Then he got banned. How can you have a competitive event and get banned?
Nolan told me that the Gin tourneys were set up by mostly retirees as recreational events and that Stu entered them, smashed the competition, told them all how bad they were while decimating them, and then left with all the money – so banned. Easy decision. If you want to be a worldwide legit tourney you shouldn’t be allowed to do this, but they didn’t care or consider themselves that so I’m fine with it.
A few months ago, I played with my local poker group at a home tourney. I hadn’t seen a lot of the people for a while. I started to talk about and make fun of a player we all knew, who had entered a women’s poker tournament claiming that he identified as a woman. He had been treated roughly all through the tourney by the women, and then he got a standing ovation when he was eliminated out of the money.
Later a local blowhard who makes Unger look good entered the tourney late. He opined that it should be illegal to have women’s tournaments and that they should be eliminated. I said that they were a way for women, who though they have no specific disadvantage in the game of poker were a huge minority, to enter and grow the game. The blowhard responded that he didn’t see it growing the game at all, because no women were transitioning and playing cash games against him. With that personality, I wonder why?
I gave up on him, but I shouted over to the woman who ran the event. Did you hear about the teenage girl who won the boy’s golf tourney by four strokes and they wouldn’t give her the trophy?
High school golfer wins state divisional tournament, denied trophy because she’s a girl
Now when it comes to women’s tennis or basketball players. They are at an obvious physical disadvantage and there must be women’s events, but if they want to try and beat the boys they should have every right. Of course, read about Renee Richards and you will see where it gets complicated. I don’t necessarily believe that women’s sports need to be funded by colleges by law, because I sort of believe that every event should be able to earn it’s way along. No one goes to see track events anymore. It’s sad they are dying out, but I don’t think we have to have them if no one wants to see them.
Usually, as with basketball, people want to see the men, but women’s tennis, gymnastics and ice skating have shown their ability to succeed on their own. If the NBA wants to support the WNBA even if it loses money, trying to grow the game that is fine too.
The blowhard continued and said that there shouldn’t be senior events either, but women’s and senior events give those groups that aren’t die hard competition freaks a peaceful afternoon of competition. They shouldn’t have to deal with the blowhard bully.
Of course, next comes the argument, what if we banned white males like Blacks used to be banned? He’s 100% right, but you know what? I could give a fuck.
White male country clubs that excluded blacks and women (and I caddied at one that didn’t allow Jews were bad because men made business deals there), which meant that the rich white males could keep things to themselves.
So yeah, it is hypocritical to compare a women’s night of comedy and not evoke the KKK meetings. But women’s events aren’t KKK meetings, and well White Men you had your time and you raped and pillaged and defiled because you were richer and stronger. Technology is killing this advantage off. Jerry Lewis famously said “Women aren’t funny” and sadly even Christopher Hitchen’s agreed. Jerry was wrong.
So yeah it’s reverse discrimination. It’s also a good experience for women and other victimized groups. Eventually, we all need to get along, but for right now white men? You have had your time and you still have most of your power and money. That guy at Largo didn’t want to be there – he just wanted to ruin a nice event. Screw him and his silly lawsuit. If the women become the pigs from Orwell’s animal farm? We’ll deal with it then.
