It looks like a war of words may have started between the WB TV network and Fox over the fate of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

According to Variety, during this season's Television Critics Association press tour event, WB CEO Jamie Kellner spoke of long lasting rumors that Fox Television might be willing to yank Buffy from the network's schedule if they don't get more money per episode, saying, "In all likelihood, where we will come out is that we will say, 'We will take all the revenue we can generate with Buffy and we'll give it to you in a giant wheelbarrow. And if that's not enough, then take it to somebody else, and you've demonstrated that you're not the kind of partner we should be doing business with. ... ' We would not go to a place where we would deficit finance negatives for somebody else."

Then, on Sunday, Fox Television big shot, Sandy Grushow responded to Kellner's comments, saying, "They don't have wheelbarrows at the WB, they have Mercedes. Was (WB publicity exec VP) Brad Turell whistling 'God Bless America' behind Jamie when he gave that speech?"

Grushow added, "If, in fact, the WB is prepared to make a, quote-unquote, 'fair' proposal to 20th Century Fox Television, then there is no reason to believe that this show isn't going to continue on the WB's air for many years to come. I can tell you that up until this point, that that has not remotely been the case."

Grushow also noted that he "had no intention of discussing the issue today, but I was responding to Jamie, who decided to make it a public debate."

Kellner, responded to that latter comment, saying, "Its a little late for Sandy to try to push the genie back in the bottle. He should have declined comment two years ago when he started the public debate on Buffy's future. That comment has pressurized the situation for everyone."

Currently, the WB pays just a little less than $1M per episode for Buffy. The trade suggests that the network actually pulls in 1.5-1.6M in ad revenue per episode, so negotiating room may be somewhat restricted.