Friday, December 2, 2011

DEVILS: We Knew Frons; Alternative is Dummer

When it comes to the future of ABC's scripted dramas, what's bigger news than the departure of Brian Frons? The promotion of Vicki Dummer, the woman who was honored as one of 2010's top five most powerful people in reality TV by The Hollywood Reporter (THR).

One of the criteria was "Greenlight power. Can the person get a show on the air?" Apparently, she's got the power. Unfortunately, for every new show, there's one that was cancelled. Can we infer that Dummer is equally well-known for "making room" for her unscripted, alternative, "reality" shows?

From THR:
Dummer and Saade didn't have any freshman breakouts this season; it just seemed that way. "Dancing With the Stars" and "The Bachelor" hit series highs, and "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," "Wife Swap" and "Wipeout" have held up, making up for slight disappointments like "Shark Tank" and "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution." "We're constantly putting on fresh paint and tweaking the engines," Saade says. (In the case of "Stars," that meant wearing less clothing and bringing on a new co-host, Brooke Burke.) The duo credit their Midwest roots for their sense of what clicks with reality audiences. "Vicki and I both grew up in Ohio," Saade says. "That gives us the perspective of America."

A perusal of her tweets indicates that she's a relative newbie, but when she does speak her mind, her passion for boosting unscripted TV (even at the expense of scripted) comes through loud and clear. On May 24 she tweeted, "@Equill @MichaelOrland slightly hurtful re: #DWTS!! You need to watch" and on June 10, "RT @usweekly: Awkward alert! Jake Pavelka and Vinna Girardi reunite on Bachelor Pad 2... http://goo.gl/JljlG."

By far, her most ominous tweet was on May 24: "@Equill CASTLE and BODY OF PROOF are good shows, but it wouldn't hurt to support ABC reality, now would it?" What's she going to tweet the next time May sweeps rolls around? Maybe something like...

REVENGE and GENERAL HOSPITAL are good shows, but it wouldn't hurt to support ABC Reality, now would it?

Below is Vicki's official ABC bio. What do you know about Vicki Dummer? Please share with us in the comments section, below.

Vicki Dummer
Executive Vice President,
Times Square Studios,
Current Series & Specials,
ABC Entertainment Group

Vicki Dummer is executive vice president, Times Square Studios, Current Series & Special for the ABC Entertainment Group. Reporting to Paul Lee, president, ABC Entertainment Group, Ms. Dummer is responsible for entertainment programming for syndication and ABC Daytime, as well as the development of new programming focused primarily in the areas of non-scripted lifestyle and health. She also oversees all current series and special programming for ABC's primetime block. Prior to assuming her current role in December 2011, Ms. Dummer was senior vice president, Current Series & Specials, ABC Entertainment.

Previously Ms. Dummer was senior vice president, Alternative Series, Specials & Late-Night, ABC Entertainment, since June 2009. In that position she was responsible for the development and oversight of numerous programs, including the "Academy Awards," the "American Music Awards" and the "Country Music Awards," "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," "Supernanny"," "Secret Millionaire" and "Wipeout." Before joining the Alternative Series & Specials department, she honed her skills in the arts and entertainment industry.

Ms. Dummer began her career at ABC in October 1996 in the Comedy Series Programming department. She worked on several of ABC's most popular series, including "8 Simple Rules," "According to Jim," "Dharma & Greg," "The Drew Carey Show," "Less Than Perfect," "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" and "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire."

Prior to joining ABC, she was a senior program specialist at the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, DC. She has also held posts as executive director of a statewide service organization for dancers and performance artists, and was manager of a modern dance company.

Ms. Dummer received a Bachelor of Arts in arts administration from Ohio State University.

4 comments:

  1. WOW. She looks kinda evil. If you put her picture right next to Brian Frons they look like a daytime killing supercouple that would have a baby capable of eating all the leftovers from the spew.

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  2. I'm offended by the statement quote: "the duo credit their Midwest roots for their sense of what clicks with reality audiences. "Vicki and I both grew up in Ohio," Saade says. "That gives us the perspective of America."

    Ms. DumDum, Saade, I to grew up in OH, rural OH farm country and live in Columbus, OH, now and your perspective what the grasp you say you have is misleading thinking we in OH and else where all we want is reality based TV shows. You are sadly mistaken, we want to be entertained which means balance. This professional Ohioan is sick of your "reality" shows because you deceive your audience in thinking that it is "real" life when we both know is SCRIPTED and EDITED to cause conflict. Networks are losing money and wondering why, when cable networks are thriving with SCRIPTED drama. Maybe both should come home and take a refresher course at OSU on the "reality" of what people do like. Your Midwestern values doesn't come close to my Midwestern values. Maybe all the "spew" you are ranting about is just that...talk for your own agenda. There will come a time and a "revolution" where people will become sick and tired of people like both of you telling people what we like (it will be soon) and we viewers will have the last laugh especially in Ohio when your butt get the boot like Brian Frons!! My household will not support ANY of shows.

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