Microsoft and Harrah's confuse B-list celebs with Surface

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.

[Johan S @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:35PM]

B list celebrities? Well, I'm glad I'm an A list commenter on engadget.

[austin @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:50PM]

I'd say you are a b-lister actually. Phanbuoy would be an
example of an a-lister

[phanbouy @ Mar 3rd 2008 11:05PM]

wow, i'm the new engadget "it-girl"

[Jon Doe. @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:35PM]

That's what you get for going with the B list.

[Steve @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:44PM]

well hes kinda sexy

[Abuzar @ Mar 3rd 2008 10:26PM]

"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...

[Macobyte @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:44PM]

George is getting upset!

[Camperton @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:49PM]

ROTFL!

[Drew @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:54PM]

Duckman rant in 3....2....1....

[WebOn @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:54PM]

cuz the Surface is "about nothing"??

[rooshma @ Mar 3rd 2008 10:25PM]

you got no idea Macobyte, no idea

[LegendZ28 @ Mar 3rd 2008 10:48PM]

These pretzels are making me THIRSTY!!!

[aaron @ Mar 3rd 2008 11:59PM]

@LegendZ28


Wrong character. That was Kramer. Nice try though! Still funny.

[Dextro @ Mar 4th 2008 5:28AM]

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.

[andrew @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:50PM]

don cheadle is oscar nominated and talented....you are ignorant

[Will @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:52PM]

Yeah, your categorization of who is "B-list" sucks.

[Reader @ Mar 3rd 2008 9:23PM]

His outfit confuses me.

[dd @ Mar 3rd 2008 10:24PM]

Don Cheadle is neither B nor C list.

[ben @ Mar 3rd 2008 9:04PM]

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

[ethana2 @ Mar 4th 2008 3:46AM]

Since they started editing the footage.

[o29 @ Mar 3rd 2008 9:19PM]

Uhh check out Antonio Esfandiari's:

http://byfiles.storage.live.com/y1puhAbCd5QTPPWOk-NTkCuwrYkGNYbxj33yhZHWFHOSfq7y46b9eKIFItqEJVSIMaVomzs4mSqP54

[mo @ Mar 3rd 2008 9:34PM]

you called don cheadle a b-list celebrity???

DON FUCKING CHEADLE????

Who wrote this article......

oh...nilay patel......oh..nevermind.... i understand completely.

[Spyvie @ Mar 4th 2008 2:24AM]

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?

[Jhongerkong @ Mar 3rd 2008 9:23PM]

YOU'RE KILLING INDEPENDENT GEORGE!

[scott @ Mar 3rd 2008 9:33PM]

Jason Alexander is pretty damn popular...haha. Like anyone WOULDN'T recognize him?

[Craig White @ Mar 3rd 2008 9:42PM]

Seriously uncool hating on Don Cheadle....

[hp540 @ Mar 3rd 2008 9:44PM]

wow, i wouldn't have thought Don Cheadle would be considered a B-list celeb.

[Jon @ Mar 3rd 2008 9:48PM]

B-list? How dare you, Jason Alexander > engadget

[aaron @ Mar 3rd 2008 9:55PM]

"The SURFACE was angry that day my friends."

[Will @ Mar 3rd 2008 11:15PM]

Extremely well done. Thanks for the laugh.

[m @ Mar 3rd 2008 10:05PM]

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.

[epsilon343 @ Mar 3rd 2008 10:15PM]

I'm pretty sure Don Cheadle isn't a B-list actor, but that's just me.

[Chris @ Mar 3rd 2008 10:27PM]

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.

[LegendZ28 @ Mar 3rd 2008 10:51PM]

Tom Cruise is a pretty good actor... he's just insane.

[phanbouy @ Mar 3rd 2008 11:07PM]

if by pretty good you mean painfully mediocre then i'm witcha

[bob e @ Mar 3rd 2008 10:27PM]

that brunette next to the cowboy is hot... the rest i have no idea who they are

surface rocks imo

[Dan S. @ Mar 4th 2008 10:55AM]

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).

[David Katz @ Mar 3rd 2008 10:37PM]

Gus Hansen and Andy Bloch (cowboy hat) are pretty famous in the poker world.

[Bill @ Mar 3rd 2008 11:15PM]

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...

[mrpoo @ Mar 4th 2008 12:04AM]

Tranny Ken, Huck Seed, and that dude with the massive shaft. That is a select crew.

[Allen @ Mar 4th 2008 12:31AM]

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.

[TIMMAH! @ Mar 4th 2008 12:43AM]

Yeah it's just soooo intuitive! What a revolutionary interface!

[skulldriveshaft @ Mar 4th 2008 12:46AM]

why won't the crappy surface just go away?

[Christopher @ Mar 4th 2008 12:47AM]

Engadget Headlines differences...
Microsoft Product: "Confuses b-list celebs"
Apple Product: "Astounds stars of yesteryear"

[zegoldfish @ Mar 4th 2008 1:02AM]

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.

[jdang @ Mar 4th 2008 4:19AM]

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.

[Duderino @ Mar 4th 2008 1:09AM]

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.

[roach @ Mar 4th 2008 1:16AM]

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!

[Spyvie @ Mar 4th 2008 2:28AM]

bullshit

[heyguy @ Mar 4th 2008 3:42AM]

Who is that guy to the left of Gus Hansen?