COMEDY CENTRAL(R) to Launch Late-Night Series 'Web Shows' Featuring All Original Broadband Programming

NEW YORK, Feb. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- COMEDY CENTRAL continues to blaze trails in the digital content arena with the launch of "Web Shows," a new on-air half-hour late-night series featuring all original broadband programming from comedycentral.com and AtomFilms. "Web Shows" will premiere the first of six episodes on COMEDY CENTRAL on Monday night, March 5 at 2:00 a.m. ET/PT. This is COMEDY CENTRAL's first on-air collaboration with AtomFilms -- both are divisions of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom .

"COMEDY CENTRAL is the leader in creating original comedic content on both the linear and digital platforms," said Lou Wallach, senior vice president, original programming and development, COMEDY CENTRAL. "With the launch of 'Web Shows,' we are broadening our reach even further and giving our on-air audience a new way to interact with our broadband programming. We are also thrilled to have AtomFilms aboard and tap into their wealth of content."

"'Web Shows' is a great showcase for the hilarious, high-quality broadband programming available on comedycentral.com and AtomFilms," said Scott Roesch, vice president and general manager, AtomFilms. "This is the first of many ventures we are planning that will bring AtomFilms shorts and Web shows to COMEDY CENTRAL. As part of MTVN's Entertainment Group, we have a direct conduit to leading television networks and we are thrilled to enable our talented independent filmmakers to reach TV audiences."

"Web Shows" is an on-air, late-night jukebox format for COMEDY CENTRAL's original digital shorts, which the network started producing for comedycentral.com in November 2005. Each episode of "Web Shows" will feature a line-up of original programming including animation, live-action narratives, topical stand-up performances and sketch comedies. Among the series that will be aired are "Baxter & McGuire," from "King of Queens" creator Michael J. Weithorn and Nick Bakay, "Golden Age," which was an official selection of the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, the Telly-Award-winning "I Love The 30's," "The Watch List," the first-ever stand-up show to feature an all Middle-Eastern line-up and many others.

In addition to comedycentral.com originals, "Web Shows" will debut AtomFilms Web show "The Punk Group: Fat Girls On Bicycles," an electro-pop tribute to zaftig females on self-propelled two-wheelers. This webisode was a hit on atomfilms.com and was the most popular film on mobile for AtomFilms.

Below are the comedycentral.com web originals shows featured in "Web Shows":

"All Access: Middle Ages": This VH1 clip-show parody is from Littleman, the gang behind comedycentral.com's hit series "I Love the Thirties." This historical satire includes such episodes as "Most Scandalous Royal Scandals," "Worst Breakups: Henry VIII & Anne Boleyn" and "Most Indulgent Church Ever."

"Balloon Heads": This celebrity-mocking series features the adventures of various characters that, yes, have balloons for heads. Series regulars include "Stu, the Cranky Amish Guy" and "Alfa & Romeo, Italian Superheroes," all of whom battle the notorious excesses of America's biggest film and music superstars. From Canadian company Eggplant Productions.

"Baxter & McGuire": This animated buddy-comedy chronicles the adventures of Baxter and McGuire, the closest of pals who never leave each other's side. They also just happen to be testicles. From Michael J. Weithorn, creator of "The King of Queens" and writer/actor/dancer Nick Bakay.

"Golden Age": The shocking true stories of the world's strangest cartoons. Each segment uses a whirlwind blend of mixed media to satirize classic cartoons from the past. "Golden Age" was created and directed by Aaron Augenblick at Augenblick Studios ("Wonder Showzen"). The series was written by Augenblick and Tim Harrod ("Late Night with Conan O'Brien") and features original music by Bradford Reed. "Golden Age" is an official selection of the 2007 Sundance Film Festival.

"Good God": A live action comedy, a la "The Office," about God's workplace environment. This show was created by NY-based production company Hungry Man.

"Guacamole": A character-based comedy centered around a tub of Guacamole and his best friend, a can of Minestrone soup. Written and voiced by Michael Blieden and Matt Price. All episodes are directed by Blieden.

"Honesty": Imagine a world where everyone said exactly what they were thinking. "Honesty," from commercial director Brit McAdams and producer Dave Steck, brings us into such a world.

"I Love The 30's": The TELLY-Award winning parody of the ubiquitous clips franchise on COMEDY CENTRAL'S sister network, VH1, features minor celebrities in the late 40's, as they look back nostalgically at the 1930's and discuss hilarious fads and trends such as The Great Depression and The Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping. Created by and starring NYC-based comedy troupe Littleman (Nick Kroll, John Mulaney, Conrad Mulcahy and Brian Donovan). The show is produced by Disposable Television (Brendan Colthurst).

"Meet the Creeps": An extreme hidden camera show from the minds of writers/performers Jim Florentine (the voice of Special Ed and other characters on COMEDY CENTRAL'S "Crank Yankers") and Don Jamieson. There is no limit to how low these two will sink in order to both shock you and crack you up. You will laugh, feel guilty for laughing, and then laugh at how guilty you feel.

"Mike Birbiglia's Secret Public Journal": From stand-up and COMEDY CENTRAL favorite Mike Birbiglia comes this hilarious video blog about life on tour as a comic. Written and shot during Birbiglia's "COMEDY CENTRAL Live: Medium Man On Campus" tour.

"Monster Ballz": This animated series centers on four recognizable monsters that all live in the same castle, and explores how the monsters deal with the real world ... and how the real world deals with them. "Monster Ballz" is written by Paul Rodenburg.

"Moonwalk 1986": The adventures of two astronauts on the moon, and their banal conversations during missions. Created, produced and written by Josh Koppel and Matt Peccini.

"Odd Todd": comedycentral.com viewers can watch Internet cult sensation Todd and his adventures in unemployment. As the money runs out and desperation kicks in, Todd struggles to work up the motivation to begin to think about considering, maybe, getting a job ... eventually.

"Shadow Rock": This dark and twisted cartoon comes from the mind of Max Cannon, the artist behind the popular cult comic strip "Red Meat" (featured every week in The Onion). This animated series finds its humor in the deepest and darkest recesses of the human mind.

"That's My Daughter": Music videos from the band "That's My Daughter," who fuse comedy with its natural partner: 1980s-era rock ballads. From creators Ron Eigen, Pat DeLuca, and Owen Benjamin. Produced by Matt Schuler and Levity Entertainment.

"The Watch List": This series features stand-up comedy and sketches based on the acts of some of the funniest Muslim-American comedians. Created and produced by Dean Obeidallah and Max Brooks (Emmy-winning writer for "Saturday Night Live"), this is the first show by a major media company to feature an exclusive Middle-Eastern line-up.

"Tiny Hands": A live-action show about the life and times of Dave Gordon, a man who has hands the size of a baby's. It might not sound like a bad affliction, but everything from buying gloves to holding a microphone is a monumental task when you have tiny, tiny hands. "Tiny Hands" was created by Jon Glaser, longtime writer/performer for "Late Night with Conan O'Brien."

"Web Shows" premieres on Monday night, March 5 at 2:00 a.m. Encores will air on Thursday nights at 2:00 a.m.

COMEDY CENTRAL, the only all-comedy network, currently is seen in more than 90 million homes nationwide. COMEDY CENTRAL is owned by, and is a registered trademark of, Comedy Partners, a wholly-owned division of VIACOM Inc.'s MTV Networks. COMEDY CENTRAL's Internet address is http://www.comedycentral.com/.

For up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit COMEDY CENTRAL's press-only Web site at http://www.comedycentral.com/press