Today's Variety shares a heartwarming story about how ABC president Steve "My Kingdom For A Sitcom That Can Run For At Least 13 Episodes" McPherson helped his hard-working employees celebrate yesterday's Pilot Screening Eve, the unofficial holiday taking place on the day before the network's footy-pajama-clad development team emerges at dawn from the offices they've been sleeping in since March to screen this Fall season's series hopefuls. Reports Var:

The ABC entertainment prexy played Good Humor man on Wednesday, pushing a cart of ice cream and walking from office to office, passing out scoops to network staffers.

Steve McPherson flew in 12 large tubs from Thomas Sweet, a Princeton, N.J., parlor famed for its homemade ice cream.

"They don't ship — so I had to bribe them," McPherson said. Included in the shipment: cookie dough, coffee, bittersweet and McPherson's favorite: cookies and cream.

ABC staffers "flipped out" at the sight of their network leader marching down the network halls, ice cream scooper in hand, McPherson said.

While the thoughtful gesture was appreciated, many couldn't help but feel vaguely disappointed in the display of gratitude as they consumed their chilly treats; after all, if Ted Harbert can transform his entire headquarters into a Mardi Gras-quality bacchanalia, couldn't McPherson at least roam the hallways offering his underlings some pulls from the tube of his beer-helmet, or set up a tequila body-shot station in a cubicle? No proud broadcast TV staff wants to see its leader outdone by a basic-cable show-off.

• ABC's McPherson scoops out love [Variety]