Comedy Central Sends Up Hollywood
Fresh off its best year ever (up 22% in ratings, 35% in audience), cable network Comedy Central has finished production on five new pilots and signed deals with Norm Macdonald and Jamie Kennedy.
That isn't all for 2005, just what the channel is ready to take the wraps off of. It also has some adult animation in the pipeline along the lines of its new hit, Drawn Together and veteran star, South Park.
In development so far for 2005, according to the network:
Take It To the Bitch House, a semi-reality street version of really, really small claims court, featuring petty disputes arbitrated by comedian Sommore.
A sketch show from MacDonald.
An experiment in "test[ing] people's stereotypes and social expectations," from Jamie Kennedy.
The Hollywood Show, a Daily Show-like take on the ET/Extra entertainment news genre from Daily Show vet Brain Unger.
Yet Another Hollywood Show, Gone Hollywood, hosted by Tough Crowd's Greg Giraldo, which also sends up Tinseltown via actual footage and on-location field pieces.
Stella, an adaptation of the stage show with Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter and David Wain.
Con, about a streetwise guy (Skylar Stone) who cons his way through life.
Happy Game Fun Bomb, pitting comedian video game players against real game players from around the country. Produced by Rob Cohen (Jamie Kennedy Experiment, Just Shoot Me).
The Macdonald and Kennedy deals are basically just tying up the talent. The show concepts could easily morph into something else. The pilots are obviously more firm since they have been shot, but all may not make it on air. In fact, look for only one of the two similar Hollywood Shows to make it.
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