We were originally supposed to see a "
limited rollout" of
Surface in 2007 at various Harrah's casino properties, which obviously didn't happen -- but despite the delays, Microsoft is apparently now feeling confident enough in the tech to let B- and C-list celebrities grope at it during the 2008 National Heads-Up Poker Championship Drawing Party at Caesar's Palace. Unlike the standard demos we saw at
CES which involved relentlessly upbeat hipster presenters doing things like making custom snowboard designs, the motley crew at Caesar's was apparently only allowed to crudely write their names on photographs of themselves. You can almost see the joy in Jason Alexander's face, can't you? Sadly, it looks like Don Cheadle wasn't able to erase whatever's printed on his jacket (seriously, uh,
cool jacket, Cheadle) and poor Shannon Elizabeth didn't seem to be able make anything happen at all. Maybe Microsoft should have fired up that
Hungry Hungry Hippos clone and let these fools battle out instead. All the photos at the read link for the crazed VH-1 fans in the house.
posted Mar 3rd 2008 8:30PM
B list celebrities? Well, I'm glad I'm an A list commenter on engadget.
I'd say you are a b-lister actually. Phanbuoy would be an
example of an a-lister
wow, i'm the new engadget "it-girl"
That's what you get for going with the B list.
well hes kinda sexy
"HE is kinda sexy"
I think you left out the s in front of he. You meant SHE is kinda sexy, although that's not a good teeth to gum ratio...
George is getting upset!
ROTFL!
Duckman rant in 3....2....1....
cuz the Surface is "about nothing"??
you got no idea Macobyte, no idea
These pretzels are making me THIRSTY!!!
@LegendZ28
Wrong character. That was Kramer. Nice try though! Still funny.
Actually it was George who screamed it out at the end of the episode.
It was Kramer's line for the Woody Allen movie, but George screamed it out at the end.
don cheadle is oscar nominated and talented....you are ignorant
Yeah, your categorization of who is "B-list" sucks.
His outfit confuses me.
Don Cheadle is neither B nor C list.
Since when have Microsoft's tech demonstrations gone well?
"And it's going to load in the appropriate drivers, you'll notice this Scanner, Bill [demo computer BSODs]... whoah..."
Gates: "Probably why we're not shipping Windows 98 yet"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgriTO8UHvs
Since they started editing the footage.
Uhh check out Antonio Esfandiari's:
http://byfiles.storage.live.com/y1puhAbCd5QTPPWOk-NTkCuwrYkGNYbxj33yhZHWFHOSfq7y46b9eKIFItqEJVSIMaVomzs4mSqP54
you called don cheadle a b-list celebrity???
DON FUCKING CHEADLE????
Who wrote this article......
oh...nilay patel......oh..nevermind.... i understand completely.
That's what I was thinking...
Crash is one of the best movies ever made. Hotel Rwanda is pretty good too, and do B list celebrities get to host SNL?
YOU'RE KILLING INDEPENDENT GEORGE!
Jason Alexander is pretty damn popular...haha. Like anyone WOULDN'T recognize him?
Seriously uncool hating on Don Cheadle....
wow, i wouldn't have thought Don Cheadle would be considered a B-list celeb.
B-list? How dare you, Jason Alexander > engadget
"The SURFACE was angry that day my friends."
Extremely well done. Thanks for the laugh.
Maybe Don Cheadle really likes poker, but that doesn't seem like an A-list event to me, I gotta say.
In any case, that is clearly Caesar's Palace, not Harrah's. No wonder George looks confused.
I'm pretty sure Don Cheadle isn't a B-list actor, but that's just me.
Don Cheadle _is_ a B-list celebrity. That doesn't mean he's not a good actor or not a good guy; that just means he's not one of the most bankable stars a studio can count on to sell a blockbuster movie.
It's a sad state of affairs when Tom Cruise is A-List and Cheadle is B-List.
Tom Cruise is a pretty good actor... he's just insane.
if by pretty good you mean painfully mediocre then i'm witcha
that brunette next to the cowboy is hot... the rest i have no idea who they are
surface rocks imo
That would be Shannon Elizabeth, whose notable roles almost always involve getting naked (American Pie) or dressed in skin-tight leather (Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back).
Gus Hansen and Andy Bloch (cowboy hat) are pretty famous in the poker world.
Katz, thanks for pointing out that that bald dude was not the head butting soccer player. Seriously, still not convinced it's not him. Hope Cheadle doesn't say anything about his mum...
Tranny Ken, Huck Seed, and that dude with the massive shaft. That is a select crew.
Woah, Woah, Woah.
Correct yourself right now Engadget. Don Cheadle is not a B list celebrity. No way in hell, I'm driving all the way from Missouri to your headquarters and punching my way into the room you post this from if you don't change that.
I'm sorry, but no one gives performances like we saw in "Hotel Rwanda" or his roles in the entire Ocean's series, or his performance in Traffic or in Crash, and is known as ONLY a 'b-list' celebrity. I want an edit making sure everyone knows you did not include him in that same segment.
Seriously, what do you consider an A-lister if Cheadle is B-list? Is Paris Hilton an A-lister? What about Lindsay Lohan? Hmmm? Are they on the A-list with you guys? FYI: Paris latest movie, "The Hottie and the Nottie," is headed straight to the bottom of the list as the worst movie of all time, many are reporting, and Lohan won quite a few Razzies for her last years flop "I know who killed me."
Yet Cheadle could walk into a studio, get a meeting, and greenlight a project if he wanted to. He is A-list, he is just selective of his roles. Good thing to, I'd hardly want to see him in "Semi-Pro" after "Hotel Rwanda." It'd just be sad.
Yeah it's just soooo intuitive! What a revolutionary interface!
why won't the crappy surface just go away?
Engadget Headlines differences...
Microsoft Product: "Confuses b-list celebs"
Apple Product: "Astounds stars of yesteryear"
Wow, there are fanboys for everything. Never thought I'd see Don Cheadle fanboys. As someone else already posted, it's not acting ability that names you as an A-list or B-list celebrity, it's simply a ratings system of fame. Don Cheadle is an incredibly talented actor, yes, but he is not the most famous of actors. Talk show hosts aren't booking him as a headlining guest. Tabloids aren't making up stories about him. His name doesn't sell out box offices. He's b-list.
He is still an A list actor. Not superstar A+, but still A-List.
Just for reference, Shannon Tweed is a B list actress. Cheadle is head and shoulders above Tweed. So is jason alexander.
Good job being a moron Nilay. Photos 14 and 19...clearly doing more than just writing their names on them. I guess stirring the shit cauldron is easier than balanced objectivity. Must be why you're a lawyer.
Brunette is Shannon Elizabeth of American Pie.
Don Cheadle a B actor?!...ha ha ha. Who wrote this article?...forget it who gives a shit!
bullshit
Who is that guy to the left of Gus Hansen?
Don cheadle writing on Surface: Sure face.
Nilay dude, get a clue, Oscar nominations surely get you on the A-list if not what??
Look at the photo slideshow. The captions say the Gabe Kaplan in "Sam Grizzle"
Mr. Kotter NEVER gets any respect! Those DAMN Sweat Hogs!
Man you guys freak out over calling someone "b-list". It's like someone said "yo momma so fat...".
So what is A-List versus B-List? To me an A-list actor is someone who gets their name listed in bigger print than the movie title. It's all about popularity and marketability, and nothing to do with acting ability.
But that's just me. I did a search online and found nothing defining these terms or explaining the differences. It seems to have all the basis in reality (and maturity) as which group of friends you sit with in the junior high lunchroom. I'm sure there's mulitple circles certain they are the "A" group while the table next to them is the "B" group.