Ben Silverman on Obama, Leno and 'Kings'

Ben Silverman jumped on the phone for a couple minutes to talk about Jay Leno's ratings success last night...

THR: Well how 'bout last night?

Ben Silverman: It's just awesome. Jay Leno is so strong and did such a great job and the show was so accessible and broad. Last night builds on the momentum he's had this year, and I think Barack Obama knows what every American knows. It builds on the momentum he's had this year; Jay and his humanity are coming through.

Q: Does seeing last night's rating and Jimmy Fallon's numbers so far give you hope that, OK, next fall, "we're gonna pull this off"?

Silverman: I don’t want to be overly confident ... we’ve had enough disappointment to know not to be overly confident. But I've analyzed this a million different ways, and I feel we're being validated in the choices we've made. I think this is going to pay off. I think Leno in the fall is going to be a show where anything can happen and any person can be on it. 

Q: Does it bother you when you have an event, and everything goes fine, and the media zooms in on one gaffe -- like the Special Olympics line?

Silverman: That made me nuts too. I watched it live and to see the interview, and then 90 minutes later to have it as an issue you're dealing with, when, there in the moment, you wouldn't even notice it.

Q: There’s been talk of Obama's national address interruptions hurting networks. But then you have times like this where his appearance actually helps a program. What’s been the net effect of Obama this season on broadcasters?

Silverman: Barack Obama knows how to market himself better than anybody in the history of marketing. And he’s using the media the way we use and advertisers use the media, and its effect is impressive. It's not helping us get any normal rhythm this year. It hurt the fall. I think it hurt "Chuck" -- we had the huge 3-D episode, its highest rating in the year, then it was pre-empted the next Monday with no notice. But he's our president, and whatever he needs we are going to do. 

Q: Any thoughts on "Kings"? Could something have been done differently, and do you still think it can pull it out?

Silverman: I’m hoping because intent [to view] went up and awareness went up after it aired, clearly people responded to it, and it grew over its two hours. That gives me some hope. It's just hard to launch things that are not obvious. We may get nailed for it, but I'm proud of the show, and we need to keep taking chances like that.

Comments

[John]

This guy would put anyone and anything on to get viewers. Here is a novel idea try and make good shows.

[Frodo]

This is the man responsible for destroying NBC, I love him.

[Art Vandelay]

The fact that you and the President didn't notice the comment was offensive live is a problem.

Otherwise, Ben had no role in the show last night so why is he even talking about it?

[LJ]

I really hope he's being sincere about Kings. But I'm not holding my breath.

[Tony]

Jeff Zucker ruined NBC, not Silverman.

[i agree]

I agree with Silverman. The remark about the Special Olympics didn't play the way the media portrayed it. The media was looking for something to report during the President's visit in California. It was like they were waiting for something, anything to happen. I watched the local news here in Los Angeles and the reporters were looking for naysayers and protesters but couldn't find any. All of the people I spoke to including people with disabled children didn't care about the statement, but of course the money-grubbing media needed something to sell and the they did. The only people who ever benefit from such nonsense is the media and no one else.

[Jacob L]

"The fact that you and the President didn't notice the comment was offensive live is a problem."

Firstly it was a stupid thing to say but it was said in jest without much thought. He is the President and needs to realize he is under a microscope but if you think that your average 10 year old would be offended by that line your mistaken.

Lastly, it seems what Mr. Silverman is saying isn't that the remark wasn't offensive but instead that it was a somewhat mumbled throw away line that many people either missed entirely or didn't think twice about. In placing a spotlight on the situation all that comes out of it is great ratings as pundits and man-on-the-street types dissect what exactly a Special Olympics bowler would score.

[Eddie S]

"if you think that your average 10 year old would be offended by that line your mistaken"...

And therein lays the problem, gauging the offensiveness of a remark by the rudest creatures on the face of the Earth, 10 year olds.

The use of Special Olympics as a humorous description of failing at a sport might be fine for 10 year olds, usually gets angry letters if it comes from the mouth of an adult comic, but has no place coming out of the mouth of the President. I completely understand why some folks are upset.

[Glynnis]

The President realized he had misspoken even before the show aired, so how can it just be how the media portrayed it? He messed up.

For your information, there are Special Olympians who can bowl PERFECT games. One guy from MI who has bowled a score of 300 multiple times thinks President Obama should really practice if he ever hopes to stand a chance beating him... and he'd like to have a match.

I think the President is awesome and made a gaffe. I don't think he is any more guilty than most people. The problem is that most people dismiss latent bigotry against people with special needs as acceptable. It is not.

[lilkunta]

1st of all it is PRESIDENT OBAMA not Barack Obama.

2nd nbc is just lucky. POTUS BO coulda easily chosen Letterman in NY. I dont know y he didnt since NY is jsut 2hrs from DC.

[Ari]

Zucker destroyed NBC - not Ben.

NBC is more like a bad cable channel rather than a network. USA does better. Somewhere and somehow they flipped.

[reggie reg]

Silverman: "People say I have my head up my ass...Cool I can see my intestines from here!"

[me]

His comments about Chuck sound as if he wants to give the show a second chance. I hope he does!