A Booking Battle … Over Joe Scarborough?

For the second time this week, MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough has apparently gotten in deep with his NBC colleagues. Page Six has an item about how Scarborough was all set to appear on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday to talk about his new book.

But on Wednesday night, [host George] Stephanopoulos was alerted there might be a problem. Scarborough is said to have informed him, “I’m terribly sorry, but David Gregory had a fit.” Yesterday morning, Scarborough canceled his appearance, leaving Stephanopoulos scrambling to find a replacement guest.

The ABC booking was precipitated by Scarborough’s co-host Mika Brzezinski via “a handwritten note and a copy of Scarborough’s book, ‘The Last Best Hope,’” reports the Post. (Why Mika is booking Joe on other shows is another issue).

Inside MSNBC they have their own take on all this: “This is clearly the work of someone at ABC just trying to make something out of nothing,” an insider tells TVNewser.

Last night, Gregory hosted a book party for Scarborough in DC. Politico’s Mike Allen, who attended, tells TVNewser, “David hosted a sumptuous celebratory dinner for Joe, and welcomed guests with a warm and clearly sincere toast.”

On another issue – and another anchor – earlier in the day Scarborough, the former Republican congressman, commented about some of the cable news coverage of GOP Gov. Mark Sanford that seemed to be directed at Keith Olbermann. ICN has the backstory which resulted in Scarborough saying on air, “I was embarrassed by some cable news hosts, some frankly on this network. Unbridled glee.”

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