Anywhere else in the world, wakeboarders are demographic celebrities. Which is to say they don’t draw as much water as basketball players, football players or rock stars. But in Orlando if you ride pro your stock goes up. Thats why Parks Bonifay, Shane Bonifay, and Rusty Malinoski were invited to a local celebrity poker tourney/casino night on International Drive last night.

The event was put together by our local Orlando sports reporter, Lee Goldberg, who invited the riders as part of his charity event for the Jewish Community Center in nearby Maitland. Many thanks to Lee for putting together a night that included some Orlando Magicians, ex-Buffalo Bills Thurman Thomas and Darryl Talley, and even women’s world billiards champion Sarah Ellerby who was sitting a my table.

But all of them pale in comparison to hanging out with the celebrity of the night … Joey Fatone, who is also an Orlandoan. Joey told us about his upcoming turn on Dancing with the Stars and said that even though hes a veteran dancer he’s sweating it. P.B. had to one-up him with the tale of a new reality series that he is going to be involved in, riding PBR bulls with professional rodeo star Ty Murray. So say goodbye to Parks next time you see him.

Sorry to report that neither the wakeboarders nor any former pop idols won the event, but it was for charity so everyone’s a winner right? You’re damn right.