(July 24, 2005) BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- NBC executives tried to portray themselves as humble today, and given the downturn in the network's fortunes, they certainly should be.

But it feels like calculated posturing when it extends to an odds table at tonight's "Las Vegas"-themed cocktail party. I'm a big fan of self-deprecating humor, but after years of copping an attitude, this about-face is abrupt:

I did feel a little sorry for NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly. He developed some smart shows while at FX, including "The Shield" and "Nip/Tuck," but judging by what he's putting on NBC this fall, his winning streak won't be extended. "My Name Is Earl" is the only show with much potential, and even if episodes beyond the pilot remain good, it may not catch on with viewers.

Reilly seemed sincere in his desire to right a sinking ship, and he was less guarded than CBS and UPN executives, who used a whole lot of words to say nothing newsworthy. But NBC's corporate culture has long been one where a sense of cocky entitlement reigns. If indeed Reilly is as sincere as he sounds, perhaps some of his more humble attitude will trickle down.

	Illustration by Tony Tye and Curt Chandler, Post-Gazette TV Editor Rob Owen goes behind the scenes of the Television Critics Association summer press tour in Los Angeles with this journal, written exclusively for post-gazette.com. Click photo for larger image. L.A. Confidential Index to Press Tour journals

'Office' guy: John Krasinski, who plays likable sales rep Jim on NBC's "The Office," isn't from Pittsburgh, but his relatives and/or neighbors of his relatives have e-mailed often enough to let me know he has ties of some sort to the region. Sorry, but visiting relatives in the area does not earn one the hometown advantage, except maybe in a journal note. So here it is: Krasinski said his grandmother, Regina Krasinski, lives in Natrona Heights, where his father grew up.

Hometown show runner: Gretchen Berg, Franklin Park native, is already hard-at-work on "Pepper Dennis," a midseason one-hour dramedy on The WB. In the series, Rebecca Romijn plays a TV reporter in Chicago looking for love. Filming on the series won't begin until January so Romijn can film "X-Men 3," which begins production next month in Vancouver.

At Saturday's Writer's Guild of America reception, Berg said she her writing staff are working on scripts, and they'll have all the episodes written before production begins in January. The series is expected to premiere in March 2006.

Delectable desserts: I took off a whopping two hours Saturday to stroll through Beverly Hills. I'd never been on Rodeo Drive before, so it was fun to gawk at all the high-priced stores. But there are some bargains to be had: Found a T-shirt at the Roots store for $10.

On my back "home" (The Beverly Hilton), I came upon a bakery, called Sprinkles, that sells nothing but cupcakes. Each individual cupcake cost $3.50, which seemed like highway robbery, even by Beverly Hills standards. But then the bakery also offered an icing shot: $.75 for a tiny cup -- basically a ketchup cup - of icing: Cheap and yummy!