Dungey said ABC has long been supportive of her team tackling challenging and controversial issuesGETTY IMAGES
ABC Entertainment President CHANNING DUNGEY said that a story point on the net's "BLACK-ISH" about football players kneeling during the national anthem was "not the reason" that an episode of the show was "shelved this season." Dungey said ABC has "long been supportive" of Exec Producer KENYA BARRIS and her team "tackling challenging and controversial issues in the show." She said, "With this particular episode, there were a number of elements to the episode that we had a hard time coming to terms on. Much has been made of the sort of kneeling part of it, which was not even really the issue” (VARIETY.com, 5/15).
NAMES: JOHN ELWAY gave an "hour-long deposition" to COLIN KAEPERNICK's lawyers at Broncos HQ as part of Kaepernick's collusion grievance against the NFL. Elway was the last NFL exec who "offered Kaepernick a job" when he attempted to acquire the QB from the 49ers via trade before the '16 season. Kaepernick "nixed the deal because he would not accept a pay cut" (9NEWS.com, 5/15)....Actress REESE WITHERSPOON's media company, Hello Sunshine, is teaming with journalist GLENN GREENWALD and author SUZANNE GILBERT to "develop and produce its first feature-length documentary" on MARTINA NAVRATILOVA. The project will "spotlight Navratilova's social and political activism for women and the LGBT community, told through Greenwald's personal lens -- a gay child growing up in REAGAN-era Florida" (DEADLINE.com, 5/15)....The Univ. of North Texas is "on the verge" of naming its new 500-bed residence hall after alum and Pro Football HOFer JOE GREENE (DENTON RECORD-CHRONICLE, 5/16)....The Broncos welcomed about 125 Special Olympic Colorado athletes to its indoor practice facility through the NFL's Play 60 campaign for an “hour-long event with select players” (DENVERPOST.com, 5/15)....Patriots S DEVIN MCCOURTY and former NFLer JEROD MAYO were among the speakers at Boston Medical Center’s annual gala, which raised $3.1M for “various hospital initiatives” (BOSTONGLOBE.com, 5/15)....RUDY GIULIANI was spotted at Nationals Park yesterday seated behind the Yankees dugout with U.S. Rep. DAN DONOVAN (R-N.Y.). Political commentator COREY LEWANDOWSKI and Counselor to the President KELLYANNE CONWAY were “also at the game” (POLITICO.com, 5/16).
