Press Tour 411: Highlights from ABC's exec session

* ABC’s top PR guy Kevin Brockman trotted out a huge stuffed pink elephant and quickly acknowledged the other “elephant in room”—last week’s abrupt resignation of ABC president Stephen McPherson. He then warned the assembled press that newly-installed prez, ex ABC Family boss Paul Lee, would not be commenting on his predecessor’s controversial departure. “Tuesday’s statement still holds,” he said. “We have nothing new to add.”

* “I’m super unprepared,” Lee admitted at the start. “I’ve been in the job 36 hours. I apologize if I don’t have the answers to your questions. I do know one thing: Modern Family should win the Emmy for best comedy this year.” (Lee went on to name-check Family at least seven more times; I think he’s a fan!)

* The worst part of his job as network honcho? Canceling shows that have small but extremely loyal followings. “We are all slaves to ratings,” he said. “I had a show called The Middleman [on ABC Family] that I loved. I adored that show. [But] it was the wrong show for the network. I’m still getting letters about The Middleman.”

* Lee has no plans to tinker with the network’s fall schedule ahead of premiere week. “We’re locked and loaded,” he said. “We are literally weeks away. These are rockets. They have to be built, fueled, and launched.”