Sitting Down Offers a New Perspective On Stand-Up Comedy When TV Land Premieres New Original Series Sit Down Comedy With David Steinberg

Sitting Down Offers a New Perspective On Stand-Up Comedy When TV Land Premieres New Original Series Sit Down Comedy With David Steinberg

Legendary Comedian/Director/Producer Hosts Series Filled with Today's Biggest Stars

NEW YORK, Nov. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Viewers get more than just laughs when TV Land premieres the new original series Sit Down Comedy With David Steinberg on Wednesday, December 14 at 10pm (ET/PT). Hosted by legendary comedian, producer and director David Steinberg, this six-episode series -- filmed live in front of an audience -- is a one-on-one comedy forum in which celebrated performers including Mike Myers, Larry David, Martin Short, Bob Newhart, Jon Lovitz and George Lopez open up about their personal lives and careers in entertainment.

Sit Down Comedy With David Steinberg engages these classic and contemporary comedians -- who all got their starts in television - for uproarious conversations in which they share anecdotes and famous comedy bits. From Mike Myers' description of how his expatriate British parents and his early adulthood spent in England were the inspiration for Austin Powers to Larry David's explanation of why he can't handle the pressure of packing a suitcase, the series has a unique newness to it as these performers take the stage to discuss their lives and careers, rather than to promote an upcoming project. The result is simply two comedians in conversation -- an honest look at the personal lives and career paths of some of the most renowned comedic performers of our time in a clean "no-spin" zone.

"We're thrilled to work with David on this show and extremely proud of the way the series turned out," states Sal Maniaci, Vice President, Development and Original Production, TV Land and Nick at Nite. "David provides an atmosphere for talent to feel comfortable which leads to free flowing conversations that aren't normally captured for TV cameras. Since the celebrities aren't participating on the show to promote their latest works, Sit Down Comedy With David Steinberg truly allows our viewers to get a funny and real look at these stars when they are unrehearsed. Bob Newhart described the rapport between comedians when he said 'We're like jazz musicians. There's a trust that you have with another comedian in front of an audience so that no matter how far out you go, he can follow and bring you right back."

The six episode series rollout is as follows:
Wednesday, December 14; 10 - 11 pm (ET/PT)

Mike Myers and David Steinberg speculate about what people mean when they call Canadians nice ("are people really trying to say that we are wussies or asexual?"), how Monty Python is a form of birth control and how Mike met his wife and how "far" they went on their first two dates.

Wednesday, December 21; 10-11 pm (ET/PT)

Larry David talks with David Steinberg about the jobs he had to take as a struggling comic including one as a private chauffeur for an elderly woman who insisted he wear a uniform, his views on the sexual revolution and his unsuccessful attempts to get involved in it and how he loves the scenes in which he gets cursed out in Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Wednesday, December 28; 10-10:30 pm (ET/PT)

Bob Newhart sits down with David and tells how he started his professional career as an accountant, his pride in being a Vegas headliner while Don Rickles was performing in the lounge. Newhart also shares his insights on the trust between comedians. "As opposed to the rest of show business, when two comedians meet they talk about the worst audiences they've ever had and their worst shows"

Wednesday, January 4; 10-10:30 pm (ET/PT)

During his discussion with David Steinberg, Martin Short recalls his early days growing up as a stage-struck kid in a small Canadian town, his start as a singer and dancer and his move to New York. Short also displays his talent as a master impressionist doing everyone from Robin Williams to Liza Minelli ... and even David Steinberg.

Wednesday, January 11; 10-10:30 pm (ET/PT)

In this episode, David Steinberg talks to Jon Lovitz about his early years as a suburban kid with a funny dad, his time with the improve group "The Groundlings," and his big break on Saturday Night Live and creating such memorable characters as the Master Thespian and The Pathological Liar.

Wednesday, January 18; 10-10:30 pm (ET/PT)

George Lopez reveals his difficult upbringing in East Los Angeles and how his life story eventually became the material for his stand-up act, the challenges faced in creating a career in comedy and how he incorporates everything in his life into his TV series.

The New York Times has called David Steinberg one of the most original comedians in years, "a cross between Woody Allen and Lenny Bruce". Second only to Bob Hope in appearances on Carson's The Tonight Show, he began his comedy career with Second City and influenced the careers of John Belushi, Bill Murray, John Candy and others who followed him there. Steinberg capped a prolific career as a stand up comedian with four comedy albums and two Grammy nominations. He has also won two Emmys as a writer. Famous for being funny on both sides of the camera, he has directed many critically acclaimed shows, including Friends, Newhart, Seinfeld, Mad About You, and most recently Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm for HBO. His work on Seinfeld, Mad About You and Curb Your Enthusiasm earned him several DGA and Emmy awards and nominations.

An accomplished director of over 300 commercials, David has also won virtually every award in advertising, including two Clio Awards and the prestigious Silver Lion Award at the Cannes International Film Festival.

Among the shows he is currently producing or directing are his fifth season on Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Comeback with Lisa Kudrow for HBO, Sons and Daughters, a comedy improvisational show and Emily's Reasons Why Not starring Heather Graham for ABC. He is executive producer of Go Kinky, a show chronicling the Texas gubernatorial ambitions of Kinky Friedman.

Sit Down Comedy With David Steinberg is executive produced by David Steinberg, Vince Arcaro and Robyn Todd.

TV Land and all related logos and titles are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.

TV Land Productions was created in 2003 to develop original programming that complements the network's successful acquired programming slate. TV Land Productions has also produced The TV Land Awards Show: A Celebration of Classic TV (March 2003, 2004 and 2005), the Emmy-nominated The Dick Van Dyke Show, Revisited, the network's first original special for broadcast, which premiered on CBS in May 2004, the Emmy-nominated Still Brady ... After All These Years reunion special in September 2004 and Chasing Farrah (Spring 2005), the original reality series that followed iconic Hollywood actress and sex symbol Farrah Fawcett. For more information about TV Land's original Wednesday night line-ups, visit HYPERLINK "http://www.tvland.com/"

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Source: TV Land; Nick at Nite

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