Super Bowl Party Watch
Josh Brolin and Michael Phelps to host Super Bowl party with a poker face
Oscar-nominated actor Josh Brolin and Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps are teaming up for a big party at the Memorial mansion of Lisa and Michael Holthouse on the night before the Super Bowl, officials of The Giving Back Fund, a nonprofit that encourages and facilitates charitable giving by celebrities and athletes, announced on Monday.
The invitation-only event, called the Big Game Big Give party, will feature entertainment, live and silent auctions and food prepared by a celebrity chef. Now in its eighth year, it has earned a rep as one of the Super Bowl's best high roller parties and is expected to attract a crowd of philanthropists, celebrities, and sports legends.
As an added twist in Houston, it will also feature an after-party with a celebrity poker tournament hosted by Phelps and World Series of Poker champion Jamie Gold. Participants will compete for six months of private coaching by Gold and a place at the table for the World Series of Poker. The experience is open to the first 160 players with an initial buy-in of $2,000 each.
Brolin, who will host the party, was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in the 2008 film, Milk, and has appeared in No Country for Old Men, Men in Black 3, W. (where he played George W. Bush), American Gangster, and Hail, Caesar! He is the son of actor James Brolin.
Tickets for the poker after-party can be purchased at www.biggamebiggive.org. Tax deductible sponsorships for both events range from $50,000 - $300,000.
Proceeds will be donated to four charities, with a large portion going to Lemonade Day, a nonprofit founded by the Holthouses that focuses on serving the community with proactive programs designed to teach life skills, character and entrepreneurship.
The Holthouse home was recently the site of a lavish party to celebrate the launch of Houston CityBook, where Lisa Holthouse is executive publisher. The party featured a large harp that extended the length of the backyard pool to the main house, played by America's Got Talent finalist William Close.