» Kimberly Lansing Interview

Kimberly Lansing is the newest hostess and co-anchor for the revamped World Poker Tour.  She is a favorite of the poker community for her playful interview style and let’s face it her easy on the eyes looks.  She took a few minutes out of her busy schedule to talk to the Poker Curious community about poker, love, life and much more.

How would you describe what you do and who you are?

I’m a journalist and TV personality to the outside world, the girl next door at home in San Francisco, and an adventurous, curious, reality-TV loving, dog-cuddling foodie at heart.  Growing up in Rancho Mirage, CA (Palm Springs), my family nicknamed me ‘The Investigator’ because I always knew their business.  I guess it was only natural that I ended up as a reporter for People Magazine, Us Weekly, the Associated Press, and In Style Magazine for the first 6 years of my career. I studied broadcast journalism at USC and eventually found my way onto TV. Drugging my bosses at the WPT turned out to be the right decision.

How did you get involved in the poker world? Was it a love for the game that led to the job with the WPT?

It was, hands down, a love for the game.  I learned how to play poker at my dad’s store, Gameroom Gallery in Palm Springs.  He sells fun stuff like pool tables, jukeboxes and poker tables.  My boyfriend at the time sat me down and taught me how to play.  That weekend I was sitting behind him at Casino Morongo, studying his game.  Once I understood the basics, I started watching the World Poker Tour. I literally said, “Why am I not hosting that show?  I know how to play poker!”  Late at night we would go to Hawaiian Gardens (in the LA area) and clean up because our opponents had been drinking all night.  That’s MY strategy.   About a year later I was working for People Magazine at a WPT Celebrity Invitational event.  After interviewing celebs on the red carpet, I chatted with a few key people at WPT and started auditioning shortly after.  If you know what you want, you’ve got to believe in your heart that you can achieve it.  I am the perfect example.

What was it like to work for US Weekly and People magazines?

Working in the entertainment media for a weekly magazine definitely provides for an exciting life.  I’ve been on vacation in Maui with Britney Spears, was at the hospital with Tom Cruise the night Suri was born, and I watched Lindsay Lohan take shots at a club when she was a teenager - all that without any of them knowing.  I have had the most amazing experiences and I am so grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given.  

You are considered one of the most beautiful women in poker and you are a permanent favourite with poker fans around the world.  What is it like having that kind of reaction?

It is such a good feeling to have fans and supporters of my career.  I love what I do and I hope it shows in my work, even though I don’t look it as ‘work’.
 
What is is like working alongside Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten?

They welcomed me back to the WPT with open arms and I couldn’t work alongside more genuine, kind people in this business.  I consider both of them to be legends in poker – they are great players, fun to watch, and they’ve been in this industry long before it became mainstream. They commentate on every final table like it’s their first.  I love watching them in action.

Has working in the poker world helped improve your own game too?

It has definitely helped my game.  It would be like getting tennis lessons from Roger Federer.  How could I not improve?

Do you have ambitions to take down your own WPT title one day?

I would love to take down a WPT title!  I play online at ClubWPT.com, but I hope to sit down at some cash games while on tour.  When I have downtime at Foxwoods or Borgata, you’ll definitely see me in the poker room.

We recently heard the unfortunate news, at least from your male fans, that you've recently become engaged. Congratulations. Is your fiance a poker player too? Do you have words of condolence you can offer to the single poker players out there?

Thank you!  Yes he plays poker, but only as a hobby.  I actually have the WPT to thank because I met him in 2008 while on tour.  I might be taken, but I do have a very cute , very sweet, single girlfriend in New York that I’m accepting applications for.

Aside from the poker world do you have other interests and hobbies you unwind with after a busy stop on tour?

I love to play tennis although I haven’t gotten around to it in awhile.  I’m learning how to play golf.  I lack patience, and that’s not a shortcoming you want to have on a golf course.  I also love to travel – my fiancé and I take weekend trips to Cabo San Lucas quite frequently.  To unwind, I go to the gym, walk my dog, or sit in front of the TV with a good glass of wine and the fire going.

What advice would you give to those that aspire to go on tour and chase the million dollar WPT prize pools?

It takes a certain type of person to be a successful professional poker player.  Building a good bankroll is one thing, but managing it is another. If you plan on playing poker as your sole source of income, then things get much more complicated.  It’s not always as glamorous as it looks on TV.

Who would win in a poker match between yourself, Mike and Vince?

Realistically, Mike or Vince.  But on a lucky day, I could probably bluff the heck out of them, just like I did to the pros when I took 8th place in the WPT 2008 Celebrity Invitational.

If you could choose one poker player to play heads up who would it be and why?

Annie Duke.  She won the 2010 NHPC and I think I could learn a lot from her.

Do you have any players who you haven't met or interviewed yet that you would particularly like to?

Actually, yes there are quite a few players I haven’t interviewed.  Surprisingly Annie Duke, Doyle Brunson, and Chris Ferguson make that list.

Would you have any advice you could share with other women poker players? Have you seen any tricks that help women gain a greater edge on their opponents?

Spend some time at home practicing how to handle chips and cards. The most important thing you can do both before and during play is to make yourself feel comfortable at the table.

Who do you think are the best female players in the game right now?

I’m so impressed with what women are bringing to the table these days.     It doesn’t matter what your career earnings are or how famous your name is, this game takes a degree of fearlessness and of course, passion.  Kathy Liebert, Jennifer Tilly, Annette Obrestad, and Liv Boeree are a few ladies that come to mind.  They’re all so different but each woman is a force to be reckoned with.

What advice can you offer to our male readers out there looking to meet the girl of their dreams?

Be yourself from the start.  No one (women or men alike) wants to get to know someone and then meet the ‘real’ person 6 months later.   I’m myself from the get-go. That way there are no surprises.  We all want to be accepted, so throw your ego out the window and know that the girl of your dreams will like you for you.

Will we continue to see you on the WPT shows and involved in the poker world?

Is the Pope Catholic?  Sunday nights at 8 and 11 in January on FSN.

If you could leave our readers with one piece of advice for being happy and successful what would it be?

Read ‘The Secret’.  It’s all a state of mind.  Think positively, be kind to others, and believe in yourself even if you think no one else does.  

What is your favorite fun poker phrase/slang/acronym?

Call and Nuts.  Because it feels good to call someone’s all-in when I have the nuts. And if I don’t have ‘the nuts’, I’m calling their all-in because I have to be nuts to do it with bottom pair.  

If the poker industry disappeared completely, what other career would you most like to attempt?

I’m most skilled in entertainment and fashion because I’ve been there, done that.  However, I definitely see myself hosting or anchoring a morning show.

If you were on death row, what would be your last meal?

Truffle pasta from Il Sole in West Hollywood, a wagyu ribeye from Cut in Beverly Hills, a glass of Peter Michael 2003, chocolate soufflé from Mortons Steakhouse, strawberries and whipped cream.

When your poker career is over, what would you most like to be remembered for?

Bringing poker to life – taking the viewer inside.  I hope I’m remembered as entertaining, provocative, fun, and refreshing.