Ian McShane: marketing machine

Alternate headline: Incomprehensible Actor Challenges 'Ignorant' Reporter!

See? The Television Critics Association tour keeps bringing the funny. At least for us.

After sitting through innumerable sessions at this convention in years past, we can kind of understand where Ian McShane was coming from today. Frustrated at a line of questioning, the Emmy-nominated "Deadwood" star flat out dumped on a reporter, beating him down for what he deemed an "ignorant remark."

The crime? The journalist failed to grasp the premise of an upcoming McShane project on NBC called "Kings," some alt reality, Biblically-based mashup that may or may not involve coffee shops (but not Starbucks!) in China. We'll be sure to watch!

Back when we still braved the TCA, there were many a day when we'd been tempted to let out a string of insults like, "moron, brain-dead, hack," etc. etc., leveled at fellow writers, but we never thought the defense of "temporary Tourette Syndrome" would actually work.

Wonder what McShane's excuse will be? Or maybe he just thinks that being on his best behavior in front of a room full of journalists is overrated. Next victim!

For more on this panel, go here. And join us in saying a fond farewell to this summer's TCA.