Posts Tagged ‘Christian Harder’

Dumpster Joe picked over Christian Harder for Poker Night in America

Thursday, July 31st, 2014

With over $3 million in live poker tournament winnings, and having been a regular at Maryland Live! Casino, Christian “Charder” Harder seemed like a natural fit for Poker Night in America. He quickly applied to be on the show after hearing that PNIA was filming an episode at his home casino. But rather than reserve their last spot for Harder, the producers opted for a different direction: “Dumpster Joe.”

Appropriately named for the fact that he drives a dump truck, Joe is a local amateur who wanted his shot at the big time. And he got this chance, if only at the expense of established pros like Harder. Charder tweeted, “Not a big enough poker personality to play Poker Night in America at my home casino @MarylandLive #salty”

Although Harder sounds bitter in the tweet, he comes across as pretty understanding in a recent Washington Post blog. He commended Dumpster Joe being on the show by saying:

They were looking more for guys who aren’t professional poker players who want to play with professional poker players. I guess they wanted some new blood. He is a huge character. He owns a dump truck company and some restaurants. He is going to be great for TV.

Harder is definitely on track with his assessment of Dumpster Joe, who has a good amateur-on-TV personality and caused a stir after bluffing Phil Hellmuth out of a pot with 3 high. Aside from the fact that Joe was good for TV, he also fits the traditional style of PNIA, where a lucky amateur or two gets a chance to rub elbows with famed poker pros. So don’t expect the show’s producers to give up on this interesting dynamic any time soon.