From Deseret News archives:
Fox goes on offensive over theft allegations
Which is schoolyard-like logic — and more than a bit of a dodge.
And, second — hey, they're not any bigger thieves than anybody else in Hollywood.
Hard to argue with that one.
"The baseless allegations of thefts and extortions are outrageous and unacceptable," she told a room full of TV critics, almost gritting her teeth as she said it. "I will not participate in perpetuating this myth."
Berman said the charges that Fox stole both "Trading Spouses" (which ABC claims rips off "Wife Swap") and the boxing show "The Next Great Champ" (which NBC claims rips off "The Contender") are "directly related to the fact that we are closer to No. 1 (in the ratings) than ever and closer than our rivals would have ever thought possible."
Which sounds a lot like "Nyah!"
As to the specific charges, Berman said the ideas for both shows had been floating out in the creative community (and I use that term loosely) for some time. That "ideas must be fluid, and no one can claim ownership of an entire arena."
She aimed most of her barbs in the direction of NBC Universal president Jeff Zucker, who has been incensed about the whole issue.
"People who are acting as if they invented the sport of boxing are being disingenuous at the least," Berman said. "It's important that you know there were five other boxing shows being pitched around town right after (producer Mark Burnett) pitched us ('The Contender')."
Berman admitted Fox tried to buy "The Contender," and that when it went to NBC she bought Endemol's "Last Great Champ."
"This is the way television works. There is nothing new about this. This is a competitive businesses and producers come up with ideas every day," she said.
Burnett's charge that he pitched the show to Oscar De La Hoya, who then signed on with Fox, Endemol and "Champ," was refuted by the boxing champ himself
"Actually, prior to that meeting (with Burnett) I had met with the Endemol people," said De La Hoya, who said he made it absolutely clear to Burnett that "our options are wide open. We've met with other people." And that he had himself been thinking of a boxing reality show for at least a year at that point.
As for "Wife Swap" and "Trading Spouses," Berman rebutted the claim that Fox rushed their show on the air first, asserting that it was ABC's decision to delay "Wife" from spring to summer and now to fall that resulted in "Spouses," which premieres Tuesday, beating it on the air.
