Access Denied

(From Newsblues)

Thursday afternoon in Los Angeles, NBC put the axe to ACCESS HOLLYWOOD and abruptly fired 14 veteran staffers by locking them out as they returned from lunch.

"It was really awful. Their ID cards wouldn't open the gate, and then a security guard came over and told them they were no longer employed there," one insider told THE NEW YORK POST'S PAGE SIX. "Of course, the bosses waited until they'd finished producing the day's show before canning them."

Among the casualties were Senior Field Producer JOHN DAVIS and Field Producers JENNIFER LAVIN, DAVID GARNER, and JASON MILLER. Segment Producer LIZZA MORALES, who was also booted, did manage to get inside and confronted Executive Producer ROB SILVERSTEIN. But he refused to talk and referred her to the show's lawyer, CLAUDIA EDEN.

The El Lay bloodbath was the two-pronged result of NBC's ratings woes and the show being more than $1 million over budget.

"A few months ago, NBC found out there'd been excessive spending by some executives on partying, champagne and strip clubs. There were worries some people might be let go, but NBC said, 'No, no, don't worry!' And then this happened."

Some staffers got calls and emails from host NANCY O'DELL, who said how sorry she was.

Weekend anchor SHAUN ROBINSON was seen crying after she learned what was going on.

Tim Harmon, thanks for the post.