NBC chief changes his ways and owns up to his mistakes

LOS ANGELES — Over the past four years, I've written my share of mean columns about NBC Universal president, Jeff Zucker. OK, more than my share.

I'm not quite sure what happened, but Zucker seemed sort of a changed man when he made his latest appearance before critics. The arrogance was minimal. He was self-deprecating. Candid. Even — dare I say it? — charming.

Maybe he's had better coaching. Maybe, having gotten a Big Job (he now oversees all of NBC's broadcast and cable operations as well as Universal studios), he's more relaxed.

Maybe I'm just a more tolerant, affable critic . . . but that seems extremely unlikely.

The man who dismissed complaints about NBC's last-minute scheduling changes six months ago almost apologized to viewers. "It's not like we go in wanting to confuse you or the viewers," Zucker said. "That's the last thing we want to do. . . . I think we learned our lesson and probably will do far less of that."

The man who, a year ago, told us that NBC's Americanization of the British sitcom "Coupling" would be one of the biggest things of the season admitted he was, well, lying.

"In all candor, we knew we were in trouble when we saw the first taping of 'Coupling.' It just wasn't working," Zucker said. "And at that point, you say, 'Well, then why did you put it on?' I think that comes under the heading of you never know for sure, and sometimes miracles do happen.

"And that would have required a miracle."

The man who had great difficulty admitting any mistakes — ever — didn't have the least bit of trouble doing so. "You want me to talk about the mistakes I've made? We only have 48 hours," he joked.

Specifically, he admitted he'd erred by moving the critically acclaimed, ratings-challenged drama "Boomtown" from Sundays to Fridays a year ago.

"I think if we could go back two years and leave it Sunday nights at (9) and just let it grow there, it probably would have done OK. And I actually regret that we didn't leave it there," he said. "I think that's probably one of the many, many mistakes that I have made."

His biggest mistake? "Probably putting 'Emeril' on," Zucker said.