Bob Costas mocks NBC’s ‘Animal Practice’ preview during Olympics

Sportscaster Bob Costas was mostly happy with the way NBC handled the 2012 London Summer Olympics, but during an appearance on “Conan” on Wednesday night, he couldn’t help but express his irritation at one major programming choice.

“I thought were doing well headed to the finish line,” Costas told host Conan O’Brien about the coverage. “We get right to the end of the closing ceremony. They extinguish the flame. And the final act in a closing ceremony that had iconic British pop acts ... the final act is the Who. And NBC decides at that moment that they should provide America with a sneak preview of “Animal Practice” and come back an hour later and have the Who.”

O’Brien, no fan of NBC himself, urged Costas to go on, which Costas obliged.

“ ‘Animal Practice’ is evidently a comedy, at least we’re hoping it is, that revolves around a veterinary practice and one of the doctors is a chimpanzee.... So here is the balance that NBC has to consider: The Who, ‘Animal Practice.’ Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend. .. monkey in a lab coat. I’m sure you’d be the first to attest, Conan, that when it comes to the tough calls, NBC usually gets them right.”

NBC’s Olympics coverage drew record ratings, but it also drew many complaints from viewers who objected to tape-delayed coverage of live events, promos that spoiled the outcomes of events and editing that left out important parts of the opening and closing ceremonies.

O’Brien, who got booted from his job as host of “The Tonight Show” on NBC, seemed gleeful at the discussion about the network’s Olympics mistakes. He called Costas the “best guest ever.”

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Join Patrick Kevin Day on Google+ or Twitter. Email: patrick.day@latimes.com

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