Official Statement from PokerStars
After my post yesterday, PokerStars released this official statement:
PokerStars does not support the use of derogatory or hurtful language directed at any other player. While this was a personal matter between two players, we wish that better judgment had been used in the choice of words.
As to the PokerStars email posted in “open letter to PokerStars” on Annie Duke’s site, our support handles over 10,000 emails per day, and this was a case where our staff member incorrectly speculated with personal opinion, and overstepped their boundary. However they did not ‘condone’ the use of Daniel’s language at any point as is implied. Rest assured, this email was *not* PokerStars’ official statement on this issue.
I would like to thank them for coming out publicly saying they don’t support the use of abusive language. That is really all I wanted in the first place 
VICTORY!!!! Hours waisted so you can get a frase by written!!!
Good, now I hope you NEVER use hurtful language towards anyone in public or private since its all about repecting others. This whole thing was silly to begin with. It was stupid for saying it and it was stupid to make a big issue out of it. I think you both are acting like little kids
annie duke is the biggest douche in the world… you should be ashamed of your worthlessness in the poker community
jeez after watching the apprentice i was a big supporter of you, but now i am starting to wonder if the producers just tried to make Joan the bad guy and you the good guy.
I just love how much of a hypocrite you are. Where is the letter from Ultimate bet saying the same thing about Phil Hellmuth. He is the most recognizable player you have and all he does is banter whine and complain. If it wasn’t for Joe Sebok doing what he does UB would be in the drain now. Oh let me guess because all he does is call people idiots and make fun of Europeans that doesn’t warrant an apology?
I guess that means by your logic its ok to say derogatory things to Europeans then right? Or is UB preparing a statement of similar nature?
and Btw Annie many of us are still wondering why you are so against womens events in poker yet you have your website proclaiming you as the best female poker player in the world.
Annie people in the poker world say you are a very smart person…. I have yet to see any proof of that. anywhere
I think Stars is generally one of the good guys and it doesn’t surprise me that they said this, though I note they seem to have said the least they could.
This is a battle we never stop fighting, at any age in any place. The fact is, DN very likely believes he is a friend of women, as long as they are cast in the same mold as his mom. (No disrespect intended to his departed mother who I am sure was as a lovely a woman as everyone says.)
And he believes most women agree with him, and of those who don’t, most fall into the category of hookers, lesbians and “feminazis.” I wonder if we can attribute his 1960′s attitudes to the fact of the very narrow social parameters of poker players and his also limited formal education?
OTOH, one has to be somewhat concerned for the mental health of someone so out of touch with the reality of his public position and responsibility to his employer that he would use the gender equivalent of the “n” word in a public communication.
In the end, we either resign the field or battle the ugly.
Lis~
We were all hoping your blog entry read:
“I would like to thank Ultimate Bet for coming out publicly saying they don’t support cheating and deception. That is really all I wanted in the first place.”
Yay! Cool that PokerStars made an
official statement like that. It’s not alright to
utter that sort of foul language.
A lot of people likes Daniel Negreanu, but that’s no
reason to condone such a behaviour. It’s good that they
elected to make this statement
Are there anyone out there that disagree?
Cudos to PokerStars on making
us players know that you can’t cross the line like that
no matter if you’re a
team Pokerstart player or not.
- Raniram Gabfan
why bring PS into this matter
has anyone ever done the same thing to UB when Phil insullts a person
no because the others know the company sponsoring that person isn’t a party in a fight between people
this isn’t a tiger woods affaire where Nike and others did have to react
hey ThTh that doesnt matter with regards to phil hellmuth, Annie is a hypocrite.
I think Daniel nailed it… but also get over the word Annie. Read some Greer and realise that it’s one of the oldest words in the English language. Also it is not an ephitet, it is at the uptmost a vulgarism but that is pushing it to be honest.
Stop being a whiney little,,,
Hello Annie
Just surfing your site
. Diden’t know about your and Daniels “beef”. Strangely I have allways seen him as a guy that allways was good-mannered. Apparently thats just at the tv-tables.
Don’t let this idiot ruin your spirit. Hope to see more of you in the future. You are allways nice to watch play poker, I guess its your good mood and positive state of mind. : >
Regards from Denmark
//Martin
Annie Duke has the worst character and deserves no attention. The most over rated poker player, who cries foul 1 too many times. What’s the purpose of the letter but to prove how low you will go. Your pathetic.
congrats annie duke youve officially made daniel look like the good guy here just because of how much you blew it out of proportion..
Actually James, it is an epithet, it’s considered an abusive epithet of women just like the n****r for blacks and f****t for gays and…name your insult. The bottom line here to me is that DN shouldn’t have said it, it’s wrong, and he should apologize and I hope Poker Stars gives him shit for it. DN is better than that than to lower himself and use such language.
Ok now I’m no linguist or anything, but I can’t see equating the C word to the N word to the F word, being correct, seems wrong somehow. That being said black people STILL use the N word in regards to themselves. And faggots are actually cuts of pork. You can go to the UK and order Pork Faggots on the menu you know….. Like I said in the other post, I don’t use said words, but they are words. My problem is why people get so out of whack when someone calls them a name, even other women are ready to beat up Daniel because of it. Language is language, it evolves everyday, sure PS is going to condemn the language, because it furthers their public image as wholesome poker. But at the end of the day, all this is, is publicity, and you’re playing right into their hands. Now me personally, I prefer PS site to any other, I could care less who runs, the software itself is top notch. Repoman, PC repairs, snake handler, yup, I’m a jack of all trades, so I know computers. Now I’m not a big fan of Daniel or anything, and he has a strange eye blinking thing sometimes when I’ve seen him play, but he is still allowed to say whatever he wants, 1st amendment gives him that right. Politically correct or not, isn’t the issue.
Everyone needs to just get over themselves and get back to work, we have ALOT larger problems at hand, with the economy, healthcare, financial reform, crazy politicians and a looming world threat, that someone name calling someone else, is seriously at the bottom of the “problem list”
i have reported players for calling me a cunt and other vulgar names and I am the one who gets banned despite the fact that I said nothing to defend myself.
When I sent emails complaining to Pokerstars asking them whether they condoned these words they gave me the run around and finally said that they dealt with the other player.
That was a total crock of shit because the player was playing when I checked 6hrs later.
Because this has happened several times, I have been utilizing my snapping tool on my computer to take pictures of the chat as evidence. Not that pokerstars could give a shit but i am going to post all the chat pictures, emails and show that the players never got banned.
Maybe you should change the blog title Official Statement from PokerStars | AnnieDuke.com to something more catching for your blog post you create. I enjoyed the blog post however.
If so many of you hate Annie Duke so much, why do you waste your time reading her website? I’d read a dictionary instead and learn the difference between “waist” and “waste”.
Random entry to say it on, but I have a lot of respect for her.
I don’t know anything about the origin of this exchange, but she had every right to defend herself.
Any guy out here whining about Annie’s defense of herself on this matter and calling PS on the carpet about it doesn’t know the first thing about treating women with respect…
I know I’m late in the game here (just came to this site for the first time yesterday) but to all the men who argue that Annie is blowing this out of proportion, that she needs to get over it, that it’s not that bad of a word, I ask you this: would your reaction be so casual if the word was directed at your daughter, wife, mother or sister?
I find it interesting that the dissenters don’t know how to write, spell, use conjunctions or even write with the grammatical clarity one might expect from a third grader.
Annie, consider the source – idiots say idiotic things, but then, you know that better than most. I just do not think it is “fair” that you have been on the receiving end of so many idiotic, untrue, bias, bigoted, harassing, uninformed statements as some of those posted by the neanderthals on this page and elsewhere. Keep up the good fight!