Silverman and Jay Leno, posing as a reporter during the NBC Universal Press Tour this summer
Erstwhile production studio head Ben Silverman has been playing house as the maybe-gay def-party boy co-chairing NBC Entertainment, which means he's the whipping boy for all of the peacock network's ratings blunders of late. Since his tenure began last summer, Silverman has overseen the implosions of Las Vegas, Journeyman, Bionic Woman, 1 vs. 100, and most recently, Christian Slater's My Own Worst Enemy and (maybe?) Brooke Shields' Lipstick Jungle … and probably soon Kath & Kim and Crusoe. All of which has led to endless speculation that NBC chief Jeff Zucker would oust him at least by the time Silverman's contract expired in June 2009. But in fact, argues the Los Angeles Times, NBC wants to re-up Silverman before his deal expires. Hello, Crazytown!
Since he began the job, Silverman's best television project didn't come from inside 30 Rock or NBC's West Coast offices, but in his 5-second Entourage cameo. And yet, says the Times, "bosses think he's been a good steward."
This, after the endless plants in the New York Post that reeked of Zucker's own fingerprints, and our own waste of copy in September analyzing Silverman's moves. Now, it's Universal Media Studio president Katherine Pope taking the heat for NBC's ratings blunders, a talking point the Post's Page Six helped moved along two weeks ago while boosting Silverman's credentials. In fact, Silverman is getting rewarded for his behavior.
And yet, the biggest of Silverman's achievements that the LAT can point to? His ability to get advertisers to sign up for product placement deals in shows like Knight Rider, where Ford paid millions to have its Mustang replace the original Kitt — also known as shows with such lackluster ratings that the only reason Silverman got away with ordering a full season of was because their lucrative marketing deals.
So: Silverman is doing good things for the bottom line, and even better things for repelling viewers.
It's got to be some kind of sick plan by Zucker to make NBC become the first major broadcast network to go out of business. Product placement only works if you have viewers, and this lineup is the most unwatchable one since the dark days when the other Silverman - Fred - ran it in the late 1970s and early 1980s. But Benny Boy also blew all the advantages he should have had of promoting his shows during the highly rated Summer Olympics. Oh, that's right, how could I forget - he was too busy calling in Ryan Seacrest's show from China to worry about that or any other network matters. Can't wait when his buddy Ryan's show tanks on the schedule next year too.
But the real problem is Zucker, not Silverman. It's during his tenure that NBC went from having "The West Wing," "Friends," "Frasier" and "Will and Grace," among others, to stuff like two hours of "The Biggest Loser" (how apropos). He's been allowed to stay in place and even gain power while NBC has languished in 4th place since W's second term, and now his lieutenant is doing the same. Thousands of hardworking people get laid off every day while these losers prosper. Incredible.
I hope the ghost of General Sarnoff haunts both of them the rest of their lives.
Silverman's team of "ruthless" Private Investigators…these guys make Anthony Pellicano look like Mother Teresa…they got so much dirt on Jeff Zucker that Ben has "El Baldie" Zucker by the balls. Zucker is now Ben's bitch…if Governor Elliot Spitzer was "client number 9" as per that whore house he frequented…well Zucker was "clients 1 thru 6"…all paid on General Electric's dime….and thats just the tip of the iceberg…so Ben stays…Zucker stays…that hot sexy shicksa Katherine Pope goes, Teri "the leather face jew spinster" Weinberg stays. If this crap was all based on merit…Bonnie Hammer would be running NBC Universal.