How do you feel about Antonio Esfandiari?

[grdred944]

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More fame than most of the people putting him down: check.
More money than most of the people putting him down: check.
Bagging higher quality tail than most of the people putting him down: check.

I think that about says it all.

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You could have said the same of Uday Hussein, but he too was a giant douche.

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EXCELLENT POST! I can now leave this thread. Good job!

[Cyrus]

From this little sample of opinions, it's fair to say that anyone who has personally met the man, even if only played against him at the tables, likes the guy. And anyone who "knows" about Antonio Esfandiari from what he does in his public persona, hates his guts.

Food for thought.

(For him, as well.)

[Peter McDermott]

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Antonio is a really good guy. His public persona is ... not my style but he's a good guy. All this hating on Antonio makes me question my own perceptions of other famous people that I think I despise, because everyone I know who has experience with Antonio likes him immensely, yet so many people who DON"T know him personally think he's a scum or a douche.


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But his public persona is all that we're discussing here. Unless we have a personal relationship with the guy, we don't have anything else to judge.

Personally, I found his TV appearances quite engaging. As someone else has pointed out, he's got a strong, easily marketable 'brand' insofar as he's young, has a striking appearance, is comfortable with the media, etc. Then, I read one of his articles for Bluff magazine. (Not sure which sucks most -- the magazine or Anthonio's articles for it)

After that, I decided that I'd like to see The Magician perform a Vanishing Trick.

But I'm sure that in real life, he's good to his mom, kind to animals and treats the betties to all the free pearl necklaces that they could ever want.

[streetz]

it's fair to say that anyone who has personally met the man, even if only played against him at the tables, likes the guy.

not true, he was a regular at bay 101 before his rock n ringer days. still the obnoxious attention whore he once was.

[balt999]

Being a "Celebrity" definately got to his head....probably thinks he's more famous than he actually is.

[bigdog23]

I played with him in a cash game at Bellagio. On a negative note, he seeemed a bit cocky. Thinks everything he does is so great etc. But he also seemed like a very nice guy if you know him. So i guess my thinking is he's a decent guy just a little self absorbed.

[MicroBob]

I was so-so on him in his TV persona.
His wave was goofy...but whatever, no biggie.

The articles speak volumes though.


I think that people who have only seen him on TV tend to think he's probably not SO bad either.

A few in this thread have been in that camp....where AFTER learning of his articles changed their opinions of him pretty dramatically.

[idrinkcoors]

The wording in his articles and website seem stright out of a bad Saturday Night Live skit. And I've read a couple of different articles where he mentions how he can't wait to go to his high school reunion and show off. That to me is a sign of insecurity.

Having said that, and being the hypocrite that I am, I saw him at the Bellagio one night and went up to him and shook hands with him. He was nice to me.

[MicroBob]

SNL skit is a good line. Very true.


My own little 'to be fair' - i haven't exactly been rushing to any of my H.S. reunions (recently missed our 15th anniversary one I guess).
But I do suspect I'll find my there if I make a million-dollars or appear on a TV final-table or something.