At ABC, Everybody's a Critic, Even the Security Guards

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., Jan. 16

ABC Entertainment chief Steve McPherson's Q&A session got off to a late start during Disney Day at I Think I'll Just Take Some of These Dinner Rolls to Feed My Hungry Children Winter TV Press Tour 2009.

A security guard initially would not let McPherson into his own news conference because he was not wearing an official Disney badge. Security was very tight at Disney Day -- the Jonas Brothers (they of the new self-titled Disney show) were in the building. They were, in fact, McPherson's opening act.

"I almost got thrown out of the building -- they're very cute," McPherson explained to TV critics of the delay.

Time for the NBC Question.

"We're pleased," McPherson said of NBC's decision to bail out of scripted programming at 10 p.m. weekdays to strip a Jay Leno "The Tonight Show"-esque talker across the week.

"We think it opens up beachfront real estate to less bidders. Ten o'clock is such a coveted slot. We've had tremendous success there -- talent likes to be in that slot," he noted.

McPherson also said he's "very excited that there's going to be viewers that have been left by the wayside" for ABC to grab.

"The last cast was a great group!" McPherson enthused in re the celebrity casting on the most recent round of "Dancing With the Stars." That was in response to one TV critic who seemed to feel Cloris Leachman had somehow damaged the integrity of the dance competition series.

Let's review, shall we?

Ballroom dance competition-cum-popularity contest featuring C-list celebrities who can't dance, paired with professional dancers.

Check: Cloris Leachman.