The Hashtag King YouTube Channel

6 years ago
The Hashtag King YouTube Channel
12:08
30 May

His behavior on a recent episode of Poker Night in America nudged Salomon Ponte a/k/a the Hashtag King into a category that most aim to avoid - that of "most hated" within the poker community.

That list is typically reserved for players who welch on debts, cheat at poker, or mismanage a poker site to the point where millions of dollars of players' money is in jeopardy. Sometimes, an alleged motorboating sexist can make it onto that hate list for awhile, as can a poker writer who pens outlandish op-eds that criticize poker players, all in an effort to incite the masses and become some sort of a Clickbait King in the process.

In the case of the self-anointed Hashtag King, the facts are in and many have formed their opinion regarding Ponte's character and likeability. He may be the king of hashtags (whatever that means), but his throne among his fellow poker players seems to be more along the lines of a seat that flushes rather than one reserved for someone who wields any power or credibility.


Need for Attention?

Those who may be unfamiliar with the antics of Ponte need only watch the PNIA video in which he verbally abuses his tablemates and insults Shaun Deeb's wife. His outrageous behavior went way past the point of acceptability, even for those who believe that goading others with table talk is all part of the game.

If you listen to poker podcasts and read posts of poker players in online forums, some are of the notion that Ponte's actions were perhaps good for poker, drawing attention to the sport in a world where scandal and strife tend to make more headlines than conducting oneself properly and being courteous and respectful to your fellow man.

But the majority tend to lean in the other direction, finding the Hashtag King's antics disgusting. A lost sponsorship and suspension of his Twitter account are a testament to that.


YouTube Channel

Unfortunately, Ponte's likeability factor does not increase based on his YouTube videos, some of which I watched in an effort to better understand the man behind the PNIA tirade that gave yet another black eye to the game of poker. Yes, the Hashtag King has his own YouTube channel, a library of almost 13 dozen videos, some of which are filled with foul-mouthed ramblings similar to the infamous PNIA debacle.

There are a handful of videos of Ponte getting kicked out of various casinos, including Fallsview, Choctaw, Bellagio, and The Bike. Why someone would be proud of getting 86'd and publish such videos for all the world to see leads one to wonder about Hashtag King's mental stability.

Another dozen or so videos, each only about 11 seconds in length and titled "She Loves Hashtag King" or some form of that title, feature Ponte on film in the company of young ladies. Viewers are left to decide for themselves whether the girls have been enticed by cash or are simply too stoned to exercise proper judgment.

Then there are Ponte's boastful and materialistic videos, such as the one where he claims to be in a $4,000 a night room at Bellagio or showing off his new $35K Rolex watch. I think you get the idea of what type of content the Hashtag King has been posting on YouTube for the past two months.

Those who may be looking for reasons to like the Hashtag King, preferring perhaps to give him the benefit of the doubt and forgive him for his rude behavior on PNIA, likely won't find it by viewing his YouTube videos. At the moment, his subscribers total 478, most of whom probably tune in for the laughability factor rather than any sincere like for the man.


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Charles is a Chicago native and long time poker player who dusted off his journalism degree and began writing about poker following the events of Black Friday in 2011. He has written for a number of leading poker websites, offering his insights and expertise on subjects ranging from online poker leg...Read more

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