Norm MacDonald to Host New Season of High Stakes Poker

Comedic actor Norm MacDonald will be serving as the host for the next season of High Stakes Poker, taking over the role that had been filled by Gabe Kaplan for the past six seasons.

The Canadian MacDonald has spent time as a stand-up comedian, an actor, and as a writer. Perhaps his most famous role came during his five year stint on Saturday Night Live, where he spent much of that time as the anchor for the popular Weekend Update segment.

Kaplan, the previous host, was also a well-known actor. However, his prowess at the poker table was also well known, making him a popular host and an able commentator. While MacDonald doesn’t have the same pedigree, he has played in the World Series of Poker and is a common participant in celebrity poker events, suggesting that he has more than a passing understanding of the game.

The reasons for Kaplan’s exit were not immediately clear.

The upcoming season of High Stakes Poker will air on GSN beginning Saturday, February 26. Each cash game will feature $400/$800 blinds with a $100 ante; players will be required to buy-in for between $200,000 and $500,000.

As usual, viewers can expect to see many of the biggest names in poker taking part in the High Stakes Poker games. Players expected to participate include old hands like Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, Antonio Esfandiari, Phil Laak, and Daniel Negreanu, in addition to several up-and-coming stars like Phil Galfond, Jason Mercier, Vanessa Selbst and 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Jonathan Duhamel.

The host will not be the only change seen in the latest season of High Stakes Poker. As some astute poker fans might deduce from the list above, there will be no Full Tilt Poker-sponsored players on the show this season, a sign of the widening gulf in the poker world between Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars; HSP is presented by PokerStars, which has caused the exclusion of many prominent players like Phil Ivey and Gus Hansen. In addition, the show will also be available in 3D for viewers on DirecTV, adding a new wrinkle to the presentation.