FLASH! / The latest entertainment news and more ALL EDITIONS

• Published in: Newsday
• Main Author: Verne Gay. STAFF WRITER, By Aileen Jacobson. STAFF WRITER, By Diane Werts. STAFF WRITER, Variety, Peter Goodman
• Format: Newspaper Article
• Language: English
• Published: Long Island, N.Y Newsday LLC 11.01.2001
• Edition: Combined editions

When Jeff Zucker ran "Today," the NBC morning program aired stories on CBS' "Survivor" phenomenon. Now that Zucker is one week into his new post as NBC Entertainment president, he oversees a prime- time lineup that competes directly against the upcoming "Survivor" sequel. But Zucker doesn't apologize for covering the competition because he says "Today" needs to "represent what people are talking about and what's culturally popular. I think it's incumbent upon us [in NBC prime] to come up with something they should be talking about just as much," he told TV critics yesterday. So has his competitive spirit, which has kept "Today" the No. 1 morning show for years. When CBS' "Survivor 2" squares off against NBC's key 8 p.m. Thursday comedy hour next month, "we're not going to roll over," Zucker promises. Among the weapons: Guest appearances by Susan Sarandon and Jason Alexander in separate sweeps episodes of "Friends," which airs from 8 to 8:30. Sarandon will play a soap diva, while Alexander plays a suicidal man. Zucker is also "talking to two NBC shows currently on the air, about doing some special things" in the 8:30 slot from which the troubled "Weber" is being pulled for sweeps. Meanwhile, NBC has ordered 13 hours of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," as well as more episodes of the existing two "L&O" shows. It gave critical favorite "Ed" an early renewal for next season, and, says Zucker, "have a number of reality shows in various stages, ready to go," whether there's an actors and writers strike or not.