Michael Eisner: Sign Sarah Palin and 'Back on Topps' TV Show?

At a small, but packed Helen Mills Theater in Manhattan last Tuesday night, Former Disney CEO, Founder of The Tornante Company and new media studio Vuguru, and prominent Veoh investor, Michael Eisner said that if he was still at ABC, he’d give Sarah Palin a contract – “With that wink she can go a long way.”

As part of the Veoh Insights Series: Watching the Web, Eisner answered questions from Ad Age Television Editor, Brian Steinberg, and (along with a few more Palin quips) spoke about the immense potential of online original series.

Eisner foresees a mass exodus from network television once the web has its first, major, worldwide hit.  And even though that hit isn’t likely to occur in the immediate future, he said content creators shouldn’t wait to create original product.

That’s no surprise coming from someone who’s invested in the online originals Sam Has 7 Friends, Prom Queen, Foreign Body, The All-For-Nots, and Back on Topps, but it’s always interesting to hear new media insights from an entertainment industry executive with over three decades of experience at the top of the business.

And speaking of his online originals, Eisner said he’s definitely not expanding Prom Queen into a 30-minute TV series (apparently there were rumors), but did hint at making a TV show with the Sklar Brothers based on Back on Topps.

Check out my full coverage of the event over at TV Week.