ABC Apologizes - Check The Timestamps

ABC and the NFL apologize for a racy ABC promo of "Desperate Housewives" that ran at the start of Monday Night Football, but...

Folks who happen to listen to New York's own "Mike and the Mad Dog" on WFAN heard a different version of the story.  Mike Francesca began ranting about the lewd and inappropriate nature of this commercial at 1:20 PM, ET.  ABC actually phoned in their apology to WFAN around 3 o'clock.  And, as the Mad Dog described it, the NFL apology was faxed over and seemed to have been written in crayon.

One of their many points - how can the NFL pretend that this is the fault of ABC, but not the NFL?  Let's repeat the NFL statement:

ABC's opening was inappropriate and unsuitable for our Monday Night Football audience. While ABC may have gained attention for one of its other shows, the NFL and its fans lost."

Well, Terrell Owens was filmed in an NFL uniform, in what was ostensibly an NFL locker room, with other NFL equipment lying about.  The notion that ABC did this without the permission or cooperation of either the Eagles or the NFL is absurd - the NFL is quite protective of its licensing rights.  And here is the Eagles' serving of waffles:

It is normal for teams to cooperate with ABC in the development of an opening for its broadcast,” the team said. “After seeing the final piece, we wish it hadn’t aired.”

At least they are not pretending that they did not know that Terrell Owens was filming a commercial promoting "Desperate Housewives".  As to the notion that they only saw the final version when it aired on Monday Night, please.

The No Fun League is now the No Fault League.

UPDATE: The NFL insists it knew nothing:

ABC Sports tapes an introduction to "Monday Night Football" each week, but the N.F.L. does not see it before the broadcast and does not have approval privileges. The introductions occasionally feature stars of ABC's prime-time shows, but the network's entertainment division did not request any cross-promotion for "Desperate Housewives."

Comments

[Al]

Ah crap! I heard Mike and Doggie ranting about it around 2pm, but had to turn the radio off after lunch and didn't hear them talk about the apology.

But I don't think that I understand why you believe that the NFL knew all about the ad. Isn't it likely that ABC simply said to the NFL that it wants to make a promo with Nicolette Cheridan and TO in the Eagles lockerroom? I mean, what makes you think that the NFL knew what the script would be and the Sheridan would be dropping her towel? Do you think that the NFL gets script approval for every promo ABC runs?

[Mike]

What am I missing?

[TM]

I've thought the NFL was run by contol freaks since at least the days of Jim McMahon in the mid-80's, so yes, I expect they did review a script, or at least an outline.

[Jon Burrows]

Is there a link to this clip so I can be outraged too?

[Al]

Cought Mike & the Dog on the YES replay last night. What a couple of pompous fools. "Nobody cared until WE brought it up at 1:20!" Idiots. I think the promo was juvenile, but not really different than most other prime-time stuff. I'm sure I saw worse on Friends and elsewhere.

A second point: how much do you think ABC paid M&MD to promote their show like that? ABC Entertainment must be doing backflips today they are so happy. There are a whole bunch of people who had never heard of "Desperate Housewives" before but today say "Ooh, a show that's too racy for MNF - I wonder what that's all about? Let's watch on Sunday and find out!" The ratings on Sunday for that show will go through the roof, and nobody is going to stop watching MNF because of a 10-second promo.

[Jim Elbe]

What a load of crap. Anyone who turns on their teevee today and is "outraged" by what they see hasn't turned their teevee on in quite some time. Either that or their supposed "outrage" is pretty selective. How many "hard-on" medicine commercials do we have to suffer through to watch one MNF game?

[Jim Glass]

Gee, how many of us listen to the same radio station at the very same moment?

Anyhow, every outrageous complaint and demand for apology and complaint about the apology and whatnot re the Desperate Housewives ad goes "ka-ching!" for ABC. Hours of talk on WFAN, the largest sports market radio station in the nation, demanding an apology about this Desperate Housewives fiasco, "ka-ching!" ... Every TV news report ... every replay on the internet ... "ka-ching!"... "ka-ching!" ... they are *so* shamed.

Aw, this really blew up in their face! ;-)

BTW, back during the Tara Reid breast scar exposé, I somehow by inexplicable accident stumbled upon the www.awfulplasticsurgery.com web site.

Nicollete happens to be there too...
http://www.awfulplasticsurgery.com/archives/005385.html

Ouch.

Go trolling through the archives there, one may wonder if there's *anybody* left in Hollywood who hasn't been reconstructed, and conlcude that nobody there who didn't immigrate from Austria should be allowed to vote ... because ... well, just decide for yourself.

(Arnold's in the archives too, but he had good surgery -- his jaw used to be way too big to get elected governor or marry a Kennedy.)

[Jim Glass]

Conversation at my house this morning:

Imus on the radio is blathering on with Jeff Greenfield about this thing.

My wife: "What are they talking about?"

"A stunt promo on MNF they pulled for a show."

"What show?"

"Desperate Housewives."

"What's Desperate Housewives?"

"An evening soap like Knot's Landing or Dallas, only about desperate housewives."

"Oooo ... I could empathize with that."

Ka-ching!