MARV ALBERT appeared on "Today" this morning in an
interview with NBC's Katie Couric. Couric asked Albert
about his repeated declaration of innocence to NBC officials
at the onset of his case, and the fact that he would never
accept a plea bargain. Albert said that NBC Chair Bob
Wright and NBC Sports President Dick Ebersol "questioned me
about this when it first came out, when the indictment came
down, and [they] were terrific to stay with me through the
broadcast of the NBA Finals. That's great support. Not
everybody would have done that. And they asked me, 'Would
you take a plea bargain?' and I said, 'No,' because there
was no intention. I was innocent. ... I went back and forth
with my attorneys because I didn't want to take a plea
bargain." Albert said he had "no choice" but to accept a
plea bargain to avoid any possible jail time, adding, "I
know they're upset about that, and I feel very bad about
that. But I had no choice" ("Today," NBC, 11/13).
TAKING ON DAVE: Albert was a guest on the "Late Show"
with David Letterman. Letterman said in his monologue,
"Marv has not been on this show for quite some time, so
it'll be interesting to find out what Marv's been up to."
Albert, on his media blitz: "I think that I probably would
have done just two shows, [but] I felt loyalty, you who had
asked me to do this show. And I also feel that the people
at NBC ... even though I was fired. ... I think they stood
with me right though the NBA Finals and I understand the
sensitivity that they went through, but I love a lot of
people over there and I just felt that I had to do the
'Today' show." After Albert discussed going through a
"curious stage" in his life, Letterman said, "You know when
I get curious, I turn on the Discovery Channel. And I think
you should do the same thing, Marv." When Letterman
questioned Albert on his sexual habits, Albert shot back,
"Can I ask you details about your sex life?" Letterman
responded, "The only thing I have ever bitten during sex is
my lower lip" ("Late Show," CBS, 11/12).
