George Stephanopoulos to Play Poker on Good Morning America

From the news desk to a poker table full of sharks.

George Stephanopoulos has lived an interesting life so far. He is a former television journalist and adviser to US President Bill Clinton, and these days he serves as co-host of ABC’s Good Morning America. For all his other accomplishments, it’s that last one that’s giving him a chance to do what he’s wanted to do ever since leaving high school: he wants to win at poker.

“Living The Dream” is a week-long series on GMA that will see its anchors travel to destinations around the United States on their dream adventures, set to air during sweeps week from Monday, May 3rd to Friday, May 7th. Stephanopoulos’ dream involves going to Atlantic City for what he called “basically a mini World Series of Poker” on today’s episode ofGMA. 

“I want to go back and win the poker games I lost in high school,” Stephanopoulos said this morning. In order to do that he enlisted the assistance of 2010 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship winner Annie Duke to adjust his strategy. Duke’s help, and his own experience with the game, is all Stephanopoulos will have to lean on when he squares off against Phil Hellmuth, Jason Lee, and 2009 November Niner Steve Begleiter. Poker After Dark announcer Ali Nejad will even call the action. All in all, it should make for good poker TV.

Regarding the fierce lineup, the former Clinton Administration official said, “I’m going to try not to lose my entire week’s salary.” He also revealed that while he no longer has a running game in Washington (“I used to play a lot but I’ve got kids now, got a life”), he’d be willing to set one up with his GMA co-hosts. Not to knock Stephanopoulos’ chops, but that sounds like a much better way to win than taking on poker players who are as familiar with WSOP final tables as he is with Washington politics.

George Stephanopoulos’ “dream game” will air on Wednesday, May 5th, on ABC’s Good Morning America.