Ask one little “Lost” question…
Honest, it was just a question about “Lost” and suddenly, the wrath of ABC entertainment president Stephen McPherson and “Lost” creator Damon Lindelof is upon me.
All the online people were all twittering about some big announcements that were going to be made at Comic Con on Thursday during the “Lost” session.
STEPHEN MCPHERSON, trying to act like he wanted to be at press tour
Since I was committed to sticking it out for the final days of press tour with ABC bringing up the tail end, it seemed only natural that Steve should share what was going to be announced. Otherwise, why were we even hanging out here?
So it went like this:
Me, all being polite and stuff: “Mr. McPherson, on your left. Can I go back to
a “Lost” question? There’s been talk that there are major announcements that they are going to be announcing at Comic-Con tomorrow. Would you like to tell us today
what that might be? ”
STEPHEN McPHERSON, getting snarky right off the bat: “Yeah. Let me give those
announcements now. Of course I don’t. ”
Me trying to sweet talk him: “Oh, come on.”
STEPHEN McPHERSON, just tweaking me now: “They do have some announcements that they are going to be making that I think everyone will be pretty excited about.”
Me, again playing fair: “Well, can you tell us?”
STEPHEN McPHERSON, getting defensive: “No.”
Me, starting to get snippy: “Do you want us to go to Comic-Con tomorrow instead of the sessions? ”
STEPHEN McPHERSON, getting real sarcastic: “Let’s go now. Do you want to go? ”
Me, who didn’t get a budget for a rental car: “Sure.”
STEPHEN McPHERSON, really getting testy now: “You and me, we’ll just go on a little
road trip down to Comic-Con.”
Me, who is hoping we might bond and stop by In and Out Burger on the way down: “Okay.”
Later, other reporters at the press conference jumped into the fray.
Rick Kushman of the Sacramento Bee told Steve Mc. “I don’t think my editor is going to be very happy when she reads on a blog later this afternoon that Steve McPherson promised that the biggest news regarding one of the highest-rated shows in the network would be coming at a fan convention the next day.”
Later, a publicist skittered across the stage and whispered to McPherson that Lindelof had given his permission to give out the biggest news: Harold Perrineau is returning to the show.
Now, really Steve, was it all that hard?
To add to the problem, it has been reported that Damon was upset that we found out before the fans. But, really, it was less than 24 hours before he made the announcement, so the fans at the convention thought they were getting it first and the newspapers thought they were getting it first.
It was a win-win, right Damon?
Damon?