Meet Ben Silverman's Successor: Mr. Cellophane, Jeff Gaspin

Yesterday, Movieline paid tribute to Ben Silverman, possibly the most ready-to-party exec that NBC has ever known. Even if the Peacock won't miss him, the fun-xecutive will always have a velvet roped-off area in our hearts, where he can rage with Molly Sims and white tigers all night long. But let's meet Jeff Gaspin, the new chairman of NBCU who is already being called the Anti-Ben: He's older, slightly paler and less likely to freestyle in the locker room.

Name: Jeff Gaspin

Nicknames: Shy Guy, Cable Guy, Anti-Ben

Hometown: Queens, NY

Age: 48

Astrological Sign: Capricorn

Favorite TV Personality: Larry David of Curb Your Enthusiasm

Former NBC Mentor: Dick Ebersol

Programming Highlights:

Created Behind the Music and Storytellers for VH1, Project Runway and Queer Eye For the Straight Guy for Bravo and developed Deal or No Deal, The Biggest Loser, Fear Factor and The Apprentice for NBC. [NBCU]

What are his immediate plans for NBC?

"We have a big launch with Jay Leno in the fall and obviously the rest of the fall schedule, too. I'd like to see NBC brand itself and have a focus. A broadcast network doesn't have to be all things to all people. [...] I think you need to have a focus and brand filter so everyone on the team understands what the goals are and what the vision is for the content. [Newsweek]

What is a heartwarming story that immediately differentiates Gaspin from Silverman?

From Forbes:

"Making the rounds at Malibu's annual Labor Day weekend chili cook-off, Jeff Gaspin's 10-year-old son spotted Jeffrey Donovan of USA's Burn Notice. A fan of the show, his son wanted to meet the series' star.

'So go say hello,' Gaspin, the 47-year-old president and chief operating officer of the Universal Television Group, suggested, too shy to do it himself.

'No, you introduce me,' his son snapped back.

'No, you go say hello.'

Recalling the story a few weeks later in his corner office on the NBC Universal lot, Gaspin shrugs. 'I really was not comfortable going up to him and saying, 'Hey, you work for me but ...,' his voice trails off. 'I don't know; it's just a weakness."

What did he learn from his infamous predecessor?

"I think Ben taught all of us -- myself included -- to make [advertisers] our partner, and frankly, it's something that I learned from cable. I would say that will be his legacy for us at NBC." [EW]