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== List of Comedy Central Films: ==
== List of Comedy Central Films: ==
==1990's==
===1990's===
*''[[South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut]]'' (1999) (with [[Paramount Pictures]] and [[Warner Bros.]])
*''[[South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut]]'' (1999) (with [[Paramount Pictures]] and [[Warner Bros.]])
==2000's==
===2000's===
*''[[Reno 911!: Miami]]'' (2007) (with [[20th Century Fox]], [[Paramount Pictures]] and [[Michael Shamberg|Jersey Films]])
*''[[Reno 911!: Miami]]'' (2007) (with [[20th Century Fox]], [[Paramount Pictures]] and [[Michael Shamberg|Jersey Films]])
*''[[Mind of Mencia|Mind of Mencia: The Movie]]'' (2008) (with [[Paramount Pictures]] and [[Warner Bros.]])


== External links ==
== External links ==

Revision as of 04:26, 1 June 2007

Comedy Central
Ownership
OwnerComedy Partners LLC
(MTV Networks/Viacom)

Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel in the United States. As its name implies, the channel carries predominantly comedy programming, both original and syndicated. While once a small cable network that few watched, in recent years it has grown to be one of the most popular cable channels.[citation needed] Since late 2006, local versions of Comedy Central (which do not have identical schedules to their U.S. counterpart) have launched in European markets such as Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, and Italy.

History

Creation

In November 1989, Time Warner, owners of HBO, launched The Comedy Channel as the first cable channel devoted exclusively to comedy-based programming. In April 1990, Viacom (who owned MTV, VH1, and Nickelodeon) launched an edgier rival channel called HA! After two years of limited distribution, the two channels merged into one, relaunching, fittingly, on April Fool's Day 1991 as CTV: The Comedy Network. However, trademark issues with the Canadian network CTV forced the merged channel to rebrand itself Comedy Central on June 1, 1991 (coincidentally, the Canadian channel The Comedy Network is owned by CTVglobemedia, which also owns the Canadian CTV, of which both names were used on the American merged network). Viacom bought out Time Warner's half in April 2003 for $1.225 billion.

1991-1996

From the late 1980s through the mid-1990s, much of the programming on Comedy Central, and its predecessors, consisted of comedy movies and half-hour specials and clip-shows featuring stand up comedians. With the exception of the cult favorite Mystery Science Theater 3000, the channel had a relatively small viewership. A notable early success was Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, which after showing promise on Comedy Central was quickly snapped up by the ABC network.

South Park

The channel made a breakthrough when South Park premiered in 1997. The first major cable show to carry the TV-MA rating for mature audiences, the show was too controversial to get picked up by a mainstream network. As word-of-mouth spread, the number of people who requested that Comedy Central be added to their cable systems increased, and the channel became available in over 50% of American homes by 1998.

The Secret Stash

The success of South Park with its mature content encouraged the network to continue to push the limits on adult language. Every "Saturday at 1 a.m.," a movie or comedy special is shown unedited. This is called the Secret Stash. It premiered on July 4, 2003 (with the unedited cable television debut of the South Park movie).

The movies and comedy specials shown on the Secret Stash are typically those with a large amount of adult themes and offensive language, especially four-letter words not typically allowed on television, that would be heavily edited otherwise. Movies shown on the Secret Stash to date include South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, Friday, The Big Lebowski, Bad Santa, the comedy special Eddie Murphy Raw, Jackass: The Movie, Clerks, Scary Movie 2, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Not Another Teen Movie, The Breakfast Club, Van Wilder, Major League, S.F.W., Richard Pryor: Live From The Sunset Strip, and also its Friars Club roasts, although on November 26, 2006 the channel aired Fast Times At Ridgemont High with the profanity intact but all of the nudity excised from the film. Nudity is also censored during presentations of The Big Lebowski, Jackass the Movie, Clerks and Not Another Teen Movie.

2002-2006

In 2002, Comedy Central Records was formed as a means of releasing albums by comedians that have appeared on the network.

Since 2003, Comedy Central has created a tradition of "roasting" comedians in tradition of the New York Friars Club roasts. During these roasts friends of the roastee, along with comedians, take turns making fun of the roastee, the other roasters and occasionally audience members. So far, the roastees have included Hugh Hefner, Chevy Chase, Drew Carey, Denis Leary, Jeff Foxworthy, Pamela Anderson, William Shatner and Rob Reiner.

File:The Colbert Report - Stewart & Colbert (Aug 2006).png
Stewart (left) and Colbert during a comedic pause on The Colbert Report.

In late 2004, it was reported that the top four rated shows on Comedy Central, in order, were South Park, Chappelle's Show, The Daily Show, and Reno 911!. Shortly thereafter, Dave Chappelle infamously backed out of the anticipated third season of Chappelle's Show; meanwhile, The Daily Show continued to climb in ratings. In October 2005, on the occasion of a new three-year contract for South Park and the launch of The Colbert Report, it was reported that South Park and The Daily Show were the two highest rated shows on Comedy Central. Comedy Central chief Doug Herzog was reported as saying that he hoped to continue to air new seasons of South Park forever, and that The Colbert Report fulfilled a long-held plan to extend the Daily Show brand.

On April 5, 2006, in a controversial two part episode arc titled Cartoon Wars Part I and Cartoon Wars Part II, South Park touched the issue of the recent Muslim protest over the Danish comic strips depicting the Muslim prophet Muhammad. The image of Muhammad did not appear in the episode. On April 13, 2006, Comedy Central issued a statement[1] which appears to confirm that the network prohibited the show's creators from airing an image of Muhammad. The statement reads, "In light of recent world events, we feel we made the right decision." An anonymous source close to the show indicated that South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone were informed of the policy several weeks earlier, and wrote this story arc in protest. This is a great change of policy for Comedy Central, having allowed South Park to portray an image of Muhammed in an earlier episode,Super Best Friends. On October 19, 2006, MTV Networks International launched Comedy Central in Poland. The channel contains 19 series and 3 shows from USA (for example Saturday Night Live, Scrubs, Desperate Housewives) and 2 programs from Poland (Kookły, Hu jak humor). In Friday and Saturday channel emmits films.

2007-

On Monday January 15, 2007, MTV Networks International launched Comedy Central in Germany. It is the first 24 hour German-speaking comedy channel in Germany and is available for free throughout Europe. The channel airs 33 shows either dubbed in German or subtitled while also airing locally produced shows - http://www.comedycentral.de As of april 30 Dutch channel The Box has been transformed into the Dutch version of Comedy Central 20 till 05 hrs CET timesharing with Nickelodeon. And on May 1, 2007 the channel has launched in Italy replacing Paramount Comedy Channel.

Previous logos

The current Comedy Central Network ID, created in 2000, was underscored with an audio signature and accompanying music campaign composed and produced by Musikvergnuegen -- a Hollywood-based music and sound company specializing in audio branding founded by Austrian-born composer Walter Werzowa.

Notable original programming

Current

Animated

Sitcoms

Upcoming Shows

Talk Shows/Variety


Standup Comedy

Past

Animated

Clip Shows

Game Shows

Reality Shows

Sitcoms

Sketch Comedy

Stage performances

Standup Comedy

Talk Shows/Variety

Other

Original movies

Motherload Videos

Notable non-original programming

Current

Past

Upcoming

List of Comedy Central Films:

1990's

2000's

External links

  1. ^ http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2006/04/13/165631-south-park-creators-skewer-own-network
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