Celebrities Hit The Poker Tables In OKC For MDA

By Doug Warner, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Celebrities from Survivor to Leave It To Beaver to the pages of Playboy all traveled to Oklahoma in the name of charity. These celebrities went "all-in" for MDA.

Former Sooner great Rufus Alexander hit the felt of the poker tables alongside Big Brother reality show stars Mike Cowboy Ellis and Dr. Will Kirby, and Jerry Mathers, known as the Beav from Leave It to Beaver and Donny Most, Ralph Malph from Happy Days, to raise money for MDA.

Alexander said he was taking the poker tournament as serious as an OU-Texas game.

"I know I'm not going to win, so it's more for the fun of it, it's the challenge," Jerry Mathers said.
"Being a good actor could come into play," said Donny Most.

Most figured he and Jerry Mathers could just act or bluff their way through as many hands as possible.

"It's an advantage, you have to bluff once in a while but sooner or later you have to come up with the goods," Mathers said.

More than 300 poker players paid to play a few hands alongside the TV show stars and Playboy centerfolds who signed on to help MDA.

"It's quite the, uh, quite the eclectic crowd." Most said. "That would be the right adjective for it, huh?"

Eclectic and also very competitive, the adjective caring was also appropriate for the group of sitcom and reality stars who teamed with Oklahomans who went 'all-in' for MDA.

"I think that's amazing. People are coming from all over the country to support MDA right here in Oklahoma," said Andrea Pope, MDA spokesperson.

MDA hopes to raise close to $15,000 from the poker tournament.

Learn more about MDA and the telethon.