BET Preps for Comedy Awards

Black Entertainment Television will air the 2005 BET Comedy Awards Tuesday, Sept. 27, at 9 p.m. (EST/PST).

The network said festivities will kick off with red-carpet arrivals during the half-hour BET Comedy Awards Pre-Show at 8:30 p.m.

Steve Harvey returns as host of the event -- themed “Oh! No They Didn’t” -- which will be taped at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, Calif., Sept. 25.

Martin Lawrence has been selected as the “2005 BET Comedy Icon Award” recipient.

TV was well-represented on the list of nominees, with The Bernie Mac Show earning eight, Girlfriends six and My Wife and Kids five. Diary of a Mad Black Woman scored a record seven nominations in the movie categories.