McPherson Vs. Silverman: Round 1

ABC Entertainment President Steve McPherson had plenty to say last week about NBC Co-Chair Ben Silverman…

After Silverman told critics at Press Tour that he had pursued Isaiah Washington before he was fired, McPherson told the same critics, “If [Silverman] was in fact talking to him before he was available, that’s inducement to breach. So I don’t know, he’s either clueless or stupid”…

On Silverman saying he didn’t understand why Washington was fired, McPherson said, “Was he living in a coma?”…

McPherson called NBC’s downplaying of the Washington incident “comical”…

When the critics asked Silverman about the firing of Kevin Reilly from NBC, Silverman said he just got to NBC and he wasn’t involved. McPherson’s response? “Kevin Reilly stood up for ‘The Office’…then to stand up and say ‘I just got here…’ Be a man…You guys let [Silverman] off the hook…that’s your prerogative. I live in a world where somebody stabs your best friend in the back…I don’t buy it.”

In case you couldn’t tell, McPherson and Reilly are longtime friends. The remarks are a little unusual, however, since Reilly is now at FOX and Silverman is still the executive producer of the ABC hit “Ugly Betty”…

By the way, Kevin Reilly revealed during the FOX Press Tour panel that he learned his job was in jeopardy when someone sent him an anonymous e-mail that said, “Ben Silverman has been offered your job”…