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Table Of Contents

• "Everybody Loves Raymond" Star Talks Poker at Charity Event
• Tilly, Jett & Eskandani Make Final Table

Hollywood celebrities, professional poker players and disability advocates mingled in the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas on April 26 as they played in the All In for CP Charity Event hosted by the One Step Closer Foundation.

Those celebrities in the $1,000 buy-in poker tournament, which was open to the public, included Everybody Loves Raymondlead Ray Romano, talk show host Montel Williams and Chuckystar Jennifer Tilly, whose late husband, Sam Simon, co-founded the cerebral palsy-focused nonprofit in 2007 alongside Jacob Zalewski.

"I'm friends with Jacob, who's a big part of One Step Closer and a great, great man," Romano told PokerNewsbefore cards went in the air. Whenever I can help out, I try to help out."

“I just happen to have a weekend open. He asked me if I could come out, and I'm here. I do a lot of golf charities (as well) ... I don't know which one will be worse, my poker or my golf, but they both stink.”

Poker players in attendance included four-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Mike Matusow, 2011 WSOP Player of the Year Ben Lamb and 2009 WSOP Main Event champion Joe Cada.

“I've been good friends with Jacob and his father," Matusow told PokerNews. "(I) played poker with his father for 10 years back in the day and became good friends with Jacob."

"Everybody Loves Raymond" Star Talks Poker at Charity Event

Romano, who played the titular character in the popular sitcom Everybody Loves Raymondfrom 1996 to 2005, has been around cards since the Poker Boom. In fact, he was seated at the table in the 2008 WSOP Main Event where the worst bad beat in WSOP history took place. He told PokerNewshe plans on playing this year's Main Event and a smaller buy-in event.

"I'll probably play a turbo, 'cause at my age you need (the) turbo (structure) because you've gotta go pee, you know?”

Romano's co-star, Brad Garrett, is another celebrity often seen at the poker table. Who's the better player between the two?

“That's a hard question because I play conservative and Brad plays the opposite of that," Romano said. "So if he gets lucky and gets some cards, he might have a big stack early, but he's gonna lose it. If I get a big stack early, I'm gonna make it to the final table ... I always say I gotta play more aggressive, then I never do. He (Garrett) just goes hog wild. He's funnier, though. If you’ve ever sat at the table with him, you’ll laugh more with him. Trust me.”

Tilly is another celebrity with genuine poker talent. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hillsstar is celebrating the 20th anniversary of winning the 2005 WSOP $1,000 Ladies event for $158,625 and won last year's All in for CP event.

She spoke in-depth about both victories and more for an upcoming episode of the PokerNewsLife Outside Pokerpodcast.

Tilly, Jett & Eskandani Make Final Table

Tilly reached the nine-handed final table of this year's event, alongside the likes of PokerGO president Mori Eskandani and poker pro Karina Jett, who played the event alongside her daughter Athena Jett of American Idolfame.

"I don't think she would like to play professionally, but I think that when she does play, she wants to win and she's competitive," said Karina, who is married to fellow poker pro Chip Jett, when asked about Athena following in her parents' footsteps.

Now that she's 21, Athena, a jazz singer, has been playing poker and expanding her musical reach by playing in speakeasies and cabaret showrooms. She also performs regularly at Roma Deli, owned by Poker Hall of Famer Todd Brunson.

Mike Van Eaton and Jon Moonves chopped first and second place, while Kylie Hornbeck finished in third place.

To learn more about the One Step Closer Foundation and its charity poker tournaments, visit 1scf.org/events.

Read More About the All in for CP Event!

_{*Photos courtesy Niko Galvez with NEG MEDIA PRO}