Cross Off 9/11 "Crossing Over"

By C. Young

10/25/2001 at 02:33 PM EDT

After enduring a day of nasty sarcasm in the press, the producers of "Crossing Over with John Edward" have announced that they will not be channeling victims of the World Trade Center attack during the November sweeps. "None of those episodes will be aired," said Jim Benson, speaking for Studios USA, which also distributes the "Jerry Springer Show." "We had considered it, but it's too good of a show to take a chance in offending any audience, and we decided against it." In a statement Studios USA said that Edward had been "inundated with calls and pleas for readings from grieving families of the World Trade Center victims looking for comfort and closure. Many of these readings have been done privately and will continue to be done privately." Edwards claims to communicate with the dead and conveys messages to surviving family and friends on the syndicated show. Claims that this could be done "tastefully" so soon after the WTC disaster were labeled "premature."