When yesterday we heard that Lipstick Jungle and My Own Worst Enemy were being axed, we feared it could spell trouble for the world’s favorite television executive, NBC wunderkind Ben Silverman. As it turns out, though, neither of those shows were his fault and he’s merely responsible for all of the network’s other problems. According to today’s Post, the blame for Enemy and Jungle falls squarely on Universal Media Studio president Katherine Pope: “They call her the black widow. Every program she touches turns to death,” says a source we’re pretty sure is Ben Silverman. “She is on very thin ice.” (Also apparently Pope’s fault: Heroes and the canceled Bionic Woman.) “The company is very happy with Ben,” says another “network insider” who we bet is Ben Silverman just speaking in a slightly different voice. “He is deep in negotiations to re-up his contract with NBC, and he has the network up 50 percent profit from year to year.” Then the insider slammed the phone down, high-fived his assistants, and rode a tiger around the office to much applause.
’BLACK WIDOW’ EFFECT AT NBC [NYP]
Earlier: NBC Actually Cancels Two Shows!