Comedy Adds Reality, Urban Series

Pasadena, Calif. -- Comedy Central will add several series to its fall
lineup, including a reality series and an urban comedy skein.

Trigger Happy TV, airing sometime in the fall, is a reality/hidden-camera
series in which unsuspecting people are exposed to unusual and unpredictable
sights, Comedy executives said during the network's Friday Television Critics
Association tour presentation here.

Also in keeping with the reality genre, the network will launch Aug. 13
Contest Searchlight
, a 10-episode series hosted by actor Denis Leary that
will provide the winner of a scriptwriting contest the ability to produce a
six-episode series for the network. Executive vice president and general manager
Bill Hilary said the first four episodes will deal with the contest, and the
last six will feature the actual series.

Also on tap for the fall season is a new, urban-oriented stand-up show called
Comic Groove, set to debut Sept. 2, Hilary said.

In 2003, the network will also premiere The David Chappelle Show,a variety show featuring the actor/stand-up comedian.

Those two series, along with a stand-up comedy special from African-American
comedian Tracy Morgan, highlight Comedy's desire to diversify its lineup and
audience base.

'Last year, we announced that we were starting to diversify the channel, and
we did with [documentary series] Heroes of Black Comedy,' Hilary said.
'These new [shows] are keeping in that vein.'

The network also announced a distribution deal with sister Turner
Broadcasting System Inc.-owned service Cable News Network that will take its
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart international.

CNN will distribute The Daily Show: Global Edition to more than 200
countries and 161 million TV households, Hillary said.

In addition, the show will air from Washington, D.C., Oct. 20 through 31 to
cover the midterm congressional elections.

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.