First off, the cost. Yeah, I know that's steep, but this is nice stuff. It's actually not a selfish thing at all. The truth is that when I have people over as a guest at my house, I like them to have a good time. That's why our parties are held in such high regard. We buy good alcohol and food and try to be hospitable. I wouldn't want to go to a party where people are cheap, so why throw one on the cheap?
The second thing is that the game itself is interesting because it combines so many things I enjoy. There's the logic component, of course, something code monkeys can get into. There's the social aspect, seeing as how it's supposed to be fun. There's the psychological angle too, as you can learn a lot about a person by watching how they play.
I have to admit that the poker on TV inspired the interest in the game. Not the world series crap, but the celebrity poker. Career players aren't nearly as interesting to me, but the celebrities, famous as they might be, are just like you and me when it comes to poker. That's fun to watch.
I don't plan on having any high-stakes games or anything, but I look forward to having a little fun. Heck, maybe next time I'm in Vegas I'll even play a couple of hands.