TCA Press Tour: Richard Belzer unleashes on NBC

NBC executives: Are your ears burning?

"Law & Order: SVU" actor Richard Belzer participated in a PBS panel today to tell colorful stories about his old friend George Carlin.

But when a journalist asked the actor-comic what he thinks of NBC's recent move to scrap all 10 p.m scripted programming to give Jay Leno a new comedy show every night at that hour, Belzer did not hold back, because, as he put it, he's got a contract that renders him untouchable.

"I just think it’s a network that’s desperate," Belzer said. "It’s the last gasp of a dying network, which can turn out to be brilliant financially. But in terms of writers, actors, producers and other people who work on shows, I think it’s a tragedy, frankly."

Belzer said he expects NBC to schedule "SVU" at 9 p.m. next fall because it's "the only hit dramatic series left on the Peacock."

— Maria Elena Fernandez

Comments

[Mark]

Brilliant? This move is going to bomb so bad and NBC will either cancel Leno's show by midseason or they'll file for bankruptcy in the next few years.

[Patricia]

Isn't Mr. Belzer forgetting the original, ''Law and Order" as far as I know it is still on the network. As for his being "untouchable'' that only remains a fact as long as the show stays around, and with the ratings for SVU going down and rumours of Hargitay and Meloni wanting out if I were him I'd be a little less smug.