Ebersol wasn't happy when GE CEO Jeff Immelt blabbed that NBC was $200 mil in the hole on the Vancouver Olympics after overbidding Fox and ESPN in 2003. Ebersol went batshit when Conan O'Brien and sidekick Andy Richter laughed their asses off on the air about NBC's $200 mil loss.
O'Brien, whose last show is probably Friday, joked Tuesday night that NBC "is headed downhill faster than a fat guy chasing a runaway cheese wheel." It appears Conan's in line for a $32 mil golden parachute. The dumped "Tonight" show funnyman is insistent on golden parachutes for his staff.
Rumors abound that Conan's going to land at Fox TV. But Rupert Murdoch's NYP scribe Michael Starr advises "don't bank on a Fox trot."
Conan's line was, "NBC will lose $200 million dollars on the Winter Olympics. Is it just me or is this funny."
ReplyDeleteVinney
It's funny because NBC overbid in 2003 without its crystal ball.
ReplyDeleteThose who bid with improper crystal balls need extra-padded fiscal jockstrap.
ReplyDeleteLook for a lot of good sports tv to head to pay per view in the years to come (although the superbowl won't, or there'd be rioting in the streets).
I'm thinking that not screwing up Conan would have left a big pile ($32 million) of extra bucks to handle the Olympic mess.... NBC needs to switch to a better fortune teller.
ReplyDeleteHow soon before we get to The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon"? Actually, Kimmel would work.
ReplyDeleteRemember when the National Broadcasting Company used to have a legitimate sports division. They had the AFC package, the MLB game of the week, the original home for the Final Four in college basketball and the National Basketball Association. But Ebersol's ego ruined the sports division.
ReplyDeleteAnon. NBC's Sports Division started down hill when the late Art Watson left as it's President. Bob Wright brought in an old friend of his Al Barber who was not only a disaster he had an ego almost as big as Ebersole. I can remember an Affiliate meeting in Hawaii when Barber loudly proclaimed "I AM NBC SPORTS" Let's just say he sealed his fate with all of the true NBC sports folks who made it happen. Ebersole is well known to ONLY meet with people he deems to be "corner office" guys. if your not the HNIC your not fit to be in his presence. There are a lot of people waiting in line to give him " a shoutout" as he falls from his lofty perch.
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