Jimmy Kimmel, the Host With a Host of Questions

McPherson: "It's possible."

Kimmel: "How do you keep your hair so nice? . . . Are you at all afraid that if you do replace Jimmy Kimmel he might do something crazy to you or your car?"

McPherson: "Yes, actually, very afraid."

Kimmel: "I'll be out in the parking lot."

Fun bit over, McPherson began to lavish praise on Kimmel and his show, which got a lot of buzz this season when Kimmel's then-girlfriend Sarah Silverman debuted her video "I'm [having sex with] Matt Damon" and Kimmel responded with his own video, "I'm [having sex with] Ben Affleck."

"His show has exploded this year. He's done an amazing job. . . . This show creatively is firing on all cylinders, and we're hugely supportive of it," McPherson said, and any conversations about Leno at ABC would include Kimmel.

Leno continues to be the most popular talk-show host in late-night television, and broadcast networks and syndicators are lined up to make him offers. In 2004, NBC promised "The Tonight Show" to Conan O'Brien starting in '09 so as not to lose him during contract negotiations. This May, NBC announced Jimmy Fallon will take O'Brien's post-"Tonight" slot.

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Katie Holmes is ABC's Britney Spears.

Former "Dawson's Creek" producer Greg Berlanti, looking for a way to bring more viewers to his struggling "Eli Stone," approached Holmes and persuaded her to do a guest spot on the series, playing an attorney who can sing and dance.

"It's great!" ABC's McPherson told TV critics when asked about the publicity stunt at the Thank God We're Still Working Summer TV Press Tour 2008.

"It's a great role for her -- she actually does some singing and dancing and she's exquisite," McPherson said. Holmes will appear in this season's second episode of "Eli Stone," on Oct. 21.