TCA Update - ABC: Kimmel Surprises, Heigl Stays, Holmes Sings

In adddition to announcing the fall season premiere schedule ABC entertainment president Stephen McPherson fielded questions about everything from "Wipeout" to Katherine Heigl.

But the funniest moment of the executive session occurred during the beginning of the Q&A when a reporter identifying himself as being from "the Sarasota Star-Herald Tribune" turned out to be ABC late night host Jimmy Kimmel. Kimmel needled the ABC head about rumors that the network was courting Jay Leno for 11:30 after he leaves NBC in 2009. That hypothetical scenario could lead to the pushing back of Kimmel's show from midnight to 12:30, as well as the cancellation of "Nightline."

"If you were even to talk to Jay Leno, wouldn't that be like contract tampering? Wouldn't that be illegal? Couldn't you go to jail for that?" he asked. Then he wondered how McPherson kept "his hair so nice." Then he finally asked "Are you at all afraid that if you do replace Jimmy Kimmel, he might do something crazy to you or your car?" To which McPherson replied "Yes. Actually, very afraid."

Other ABC headlines:

-But seriously, folks. "I can't say enough about Jimmy," said McPherson. "His show has just exploded this year. He's done an amazing job. I think everybody knows all the YouTube stuff, and the videos have been just an explosion. The live commercials he's doing are groundbreaking. The show creatively is firing at all cylinders, and we're hugely supportive of it."

As far as Leno goes, McPherson said, "To me it's a question for NBC. I can't believe that they're going to let this guy go at the top of his game, and if that happens, I guess we'll look at it at the time, and Jimmy will be involved in those discussions."

-Despite recent comments regarding the dearth of good material to qualify her for an Emmy nomination, which many interpreted as a bid to get out of her contract, McPherson said Heigl is staying put on "Grey's Anatomy." "There's an unbelievable storyline for her this year, which is really central to everything that's going to go on this season."

-The creators of the lovable musical dramedy "Eli Stone" will try to juice viewership by bringing Katie Holmes on for an episode. She will play an attorney and, like the rest of the cast, will be singing and dancing. The casting reunites Holmes with her "Dawson's Creek" boss, "Stone" creator Greg Berlanti. (Berlanti, in a panel for the show later in the day, essentially admitted he begged her to do it and that the show might explore some kind of "Dancing With the Stars" crossover. "DWTS" will be its lead-in in the fall.)

-New-to-ABC sitcom "Scrubs" may continue past its eighth season and the departure of Zach Braff with the focus shifting to a set of new young interns.

-There are no plans to de-quirk the tone of "Pushing Daisies."

-Looking to improve "Private Practice," the show will push Kate Walsh's character Dr. Addison Montgomery back into the OR to focus on "really great medical stories."

-It was David E. Kelley's decision to call it a day after 13 final episodes of the Emmy-nominated "Boston Legal" next year. Kelley will return to a more hands-on writing role for the final season.

-As for "Wipeout," McPherson said "Certainly in a time with a lot of bad news out there, I think people are having fun with it. I've never had a show that more people in the business want to participate in, wanting to go out to the set and try to do it."