PASADENA, Calif.–When you’re ABC, what are you going to do after NBC and Fox steal all the press tour thunder?
Stephen McPherson, president, ABC entertainment played it cool, bringing his macho sneer to the stage of the Langham ballroom Tuesday morning in a low watt exec session.
After all the electricity and theatrics from Fox Sunday, ABC didn’t even try to dazzle critics. What an opportunity for Jimmy Kimmel to walk out before MacPherson and sign a contract to move his show to 12:05 a.m. (Wait a minute…he’s there now.) No stunts, no drama, just McPherson is a dark shirt, the Robert Conrad of TV executives, daring us all to knock the battery off his shoulder.
Not helping his mood was the fact Conan O’Brien put out a statement today telling NBC 12:05 is a fantastic late night timeslot–FOR HIM TO POOP ON! With an afternoon of less than newsworthy sessions–including one at 4:15 for the ABC-owned Soap Net to panel Being Erica–the TCA banquet room is emptier than a “Jay Leno 4Ever” NBC affiliates meeting.
MacPherson especially wanted to give Lost its due, showing up to introduce the jam-packed, 9 a.m. Lost panel. He made some announcements at the exec session, including second season pick-ups for Wednesday night comedies Modern Family, The Middle and Cougar Town. He said we were getting it first and that the producers would find out about it on our blogs. Ah, at last, sweet, sweet contempt from a network executive, that humble NBC act was so disorienting.
He was more reluctant to hype The Bachelor Pad, some sort of Bachelor spin-off. He blew off one reporter by saying it all took place in a car. He seemed pissed one of us brought up Conveyor Belt of Love.
He‘s very happy with Castle, says it repeats better than any other ABC show. As for any blood in the water over Simon Cowell leaving Idol, McPherson isn‘t circling yet.
“It‘s not like he’s leaving and going back to England,” he said, although he`d probably be happy to drive him there in that big Bachelor Pad car.
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