The TV Zone

Just got off the phone with Sully's San Francisco-based rep (who's been juggling all the media requests), and he's taking some issue with NBC's version of the events.

The events? That Sully and crew are going with "60" and have passed over "Today," after first agreeing to go the ayem show.

His name is Alex Clemens, and he's the boss of something called Barbary Coast Consulting, described as a government and communications strategy firm. He says that he got tied up in this because he knows Sully's wife, Lorraine. And ... he adds, the work is pro bono.

We had a nice long chat, but it's just easiest to give you the written statement, sent to me and other members of The Press (it's long; do you have a couple minutes?):

"On Thursday, January 22, I told my contact at the Today show that the five members of the crew had talked amongst themselves about how they would like to see their story told, and later that day, Captain Sullenberger told me that their collective decision was to start with 60 Minutes, and to then visit each of the morning shows – starting with NBC.

"On a day earlier this week – possibly Sunday or Monday – that same contact at the Today show and I were chatting about a wide range of topics, and he asked me about the volume of requests for endorsements, book deals, and appearance opportunities that Captain Sullenberger had received. I responded with an answer similar to this: “There have been so many requests that the Captain’s family and children yet unborn will probably all attend the college of their choice.”

"For that contact to conflate those two conversations and insinuate that financial incentives were sought in exchange for appearances on one news show or another is repulsive, untrue, and extraordinarily unprofessional."

And...for the record, Clemens says no book deal was cut with S&S; Sully just wanted to go with "60."