22-Year-Old Sharpens Up Late-Night TV With His Go-Anywhere, Do-Anything, Talk-to-Anyone Focus

22-Year-Old Sharpens Up Late-Night TV With His Go-Anywhere, Do-Anything, Talk-to-Anyone Focus

The Edge with Jake Sasseville Debuts on ABC Affiliates on February 14, 2008

NEW YORK, Jan. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Jake Sasseville is a flat-out star. If you don't know his name by now, don't worry, you will. It doesn't matter if you're a late-night TV watcher or if you're tucked in by ten, 22-year-old Jake Sasseville is the late talk sensation who's sweeping the nation. And his show, The Edge with Jake Sasseville, is about to visit a TV set near you.

Forget formula TV. Irreverent and offbeat, the unscripted half-hour of entertainment is a compelling and unexpected look at the world from Jake's eyes. He sometimes uses a Dunkin' Donuts -- any Dunkin' Donuts -- as his unofficial studio. He sheds his clothes and joins the nude model at an art studio in Manhattan. He steps into the ring with a female boxer... and gets tromped. He goes to the H&M on 125th Street and challenges the notion of how Harlem has kept the "diversest streets in the nation." He peers into dry-ice- encased vials at a sperm bank, investigating how a 20-something can make an easy $80 on a Friday afternoon. For the coming year's Presidential windup, Jake has a regular segment planned called "Mass Debate." (Jake says, "Say it fast.")

This go-anywhere, do-anything, talk-to-anyone philosophy is the essence of Sasseville, who is the voice of his generation and half the time acts as if on a dare. But he's no goofball. He's genuinely curious and willing to ask the questions nobody else will. With Jake, you're never certain exactly where you're going, but you'll sure as hell want to tag along with him.

The Edge with Jake Sasseville debuts February 14, 2008, and airs every Thursday for a lucky 13 weeks, on 40+ ABC affiliate stations nationwide and on WWOR My9 TV in New York. Want it on your iPod, cell phone or computer screen? No problem.

A master of social networking, Sasseville built his large and powerful Gen Y fan base of 18-34-year-olds via tireless blogging, Webcams and YouTube clips. Advertisers beat a path to his door too. Ford Motor Company, Overstock.com, Red Bull and Bed Head are pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into the show in order to align their products with his quirky brand and the buying muscle of his loyal fans.

The Edge started out four years ago, when Jake was still in high school, living in his hometown of Lewiston, Maine. Produced for local cable-access TV, The Edge hooked not only his friends but others who'd been bored with the same-old, same-old. In 2004 came Jake's big break when the cast and crew traveled to the set of Will and Grace. The segment aired on Fox in Maine, and Jake was off and running.

Sasseville moved to New York when he was 18 -- he's currently a student at Marymount Manhattan College, class of 2009 -- and spent two years developing the show. He then entered into negotiations with individual affiliates to clear the timeslot after Jimmy Kimmel Live. In fact, he began a huge, independent online petition, "I Want My Jake after Jimmy," which continues to capture the ABC affiliates' attention. Unexpected CNN coverage of his trip to Africa didn't hurt either.

Jake says from his office in TriBeCa, "The Edge is meant to make you laugh, and to make you think." His company, aptly named Foot in Mouth Productions, has a staff of 25 and a wall-to-wall schedule lined up. For one segment in the works, Jake visits the FCC to find out what he really can and cannot say on TV. Reams of (bleeping) bureaucratic language later, Jake finally gives up and decides instead to sit at the feet of a censorship master. What tips and tricks does Howard Stern offer? Stay tuned.

Web sites:

www.edgewithjake.com

www.myspace.com/edgewithjake

www.jakeafterjimmy.com

To schedule an interview with Jake Sasseville and for more information, contact Adri Cowan or Gaye Carleton, Mantra Public Relations, +1-212-645-1600.

Source: Foot in Mouth Productions

CONTACT: Adri Cowan or Gaye Carleton, Mantra Public Relations,
+1-212-645-1600, for Foot in Mouth Productions

Web site:

http://www.edgewithjake.com/
http://www.myspace.com/edgewithjake
http://www.jakeafterjimmy.com/

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