COMEDY CENTRAL Announces 'COMEDY CENTRAL At Crash Mansion,' A New York-Based Workshop Featuring Stand-Up, Sketch, Digital Shorts and Musical Performances

COMEDY CENTRAL Announces 'COMEDY CENTRAL At Crash Mansion,' A New York-Based Workshop Featuring Stand-Up, Sketch, Digital Shorts and Musical Performances

Bi-Weekly Showcase To Serve As An Incubator For COMEDY CENTRAL And Comedians

Indecision2008.com (November 3) and Jokes.com (December 1) Will Be Themes For Upcoming 'Crash Mansion' Showcases And Will Feature Comedy From Jessi Klein, Greg Giraldo, Robert Kelly, Christian Finnegan And Todd Barry, Among Others

NEW YORK, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- COMEDY CENTRAL has established "COMEDY CENTRAL at Crash Mansion," a New York-based, bi-weekly showcase event featuring stand-up and sketch acts, screenings and variety show performances and potential TV ideas it was announced today by Lou Wallach, senior vice president, original programming, television & digital development, COMEDY CENTRAL.

Similar to COMEDY CENTRAL's successful "COMEDY CENTRAL Stage" in Los Angeles, where the original series "Mind of Mencia" and "The Naked Trucker & T-Bones Show" were first presented and workshopped, the "COMEDY CENTRAL at Crash Mansion" showcases allow COMEDY CENTRAL's talent and development teams to scout and develop new talent and acts, test different formats and screen content, while providing the network with a live performance space in New York City. The performers will range from up-and-coming comedians to more established talent with shows staged on a bi-weekly basis.

"'Crash Mansion' provides the network the opportunity to get performers and concepts on their feet and in a performance space to workshop material and ideas that might otherwise not be given the chance to develop through more traditional avenues," said Wallach. "This is another way that COMEDY CENTRAL can capitalize on its leadership position in comedy and give the talent community the ability to get in front of our executives as we scout for everything that the brand has to offer, from series and stand-up specials to tours and CDs."

Two forthcoming showcases at "Crash Mansion" will be produced in support of COMEDY CENTRAL initiatives, with an election-related night on November 3 in support of COMEDY CENTRAL's Indecision2008.com Web site and a December 1 showcase revolving around the upcoming relaunch of the network's jokes.com Web site, which goes live on December 3. The "Crash Mansion" showcase on the eve of the election will be hosted by Jessi Klein (VH1's "Best Week Ever") and feature Greg Giraldo (COMEDY CENTRAL Roasts), Robert Kelly (HBO's "Tourgasm"), Myq Kaplan ("Live at Gotham"), Reese Waters and Michael Weingartner and the December 1 showcase will be hosted by Christian Finnegan ("COMEDY CENTRAL Presents") and feature Todd Barry ("Aqua Teen Hunger Force"), Chelsea Peretti ("Live at Gotham"), Joe List, Chris Gethard and Dan Boulger ("Live at Gotham").

Located at 199 Bowery, at Spring Street, BLVD/Crash Mansion (www.crashmansion.com) features a world-class restaurant, cafe, nightclub, event space, live music venue and recording studio, all within one bi-level complex. Crash Mansion has already made a name for itself among local and seasoned musicians since its opening night with Norah Jones in December 2003. Since then, the venue has played host to artists ranging from old school: Spin Doctors, A Flock of Seagulls, Erasure and George Clinton, to mainstream such as Usher, Radio 4, The Rapture, Train, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Gavin Degraw, Joss Stone, The Fray, Ne-Yo, Wyclef Jean and most recently, Beyonce Knowles.

COMEDY CENTRAL, the only all-comedy network, currently is seen in more than 95 million homes nationwide. COMEDY CENTRAL is owned by, and is a registered trademark of, Comedy Partners, a wholly-owned division of Viacom Inc.'s (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:and)(NYSE:VIA.B) MTV Networks. COMEDY CENTRAL's Internet address is www.comedycentral.com. For up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs visit Press Central, COMEDY CENTRAL's press Web site at www.comedycentral.com/press.

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of entertainment content, with brands that engage and connect diverse audiences across television, online, mobile, games, virtual worlds and consumer products. The company's portfolio spans more than 150 television channels and 350 digital media properties worldwide, and includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Harmonix, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Noggin, The N, AddictingGames, Neopets, COMEDY CENTRAL, Spike TV, TV Land, Atom, Gametrailers and Xfire.

Source: COMEDY CENTRAL Corporate Communications

CONTACT: Steve Albani, +1-212-767-8695, steve.albani@comedycentral.com

Web Site: http://indecision2008.com/
http://www.comedycentral.com/
http://www.comedycentral.com/press
http://www.crashmansion.com/

-------
Profile: intent