Ferguson, McHale, Silverman and More Part of 2008 Comedy Festival Lineup

  COMEDY CENTRAL and The New York Comedy Festival announced today that they have signed a multi-year partnership.  This new deal provides the Festival for the first-time, a national television partner to showcase its prestigious comedy line-up. The Festival, celebrating its Fifth Anniversary, will feature some of today's biggest names in comedy for its 2008 roster including Frank Caliendo, Louis C.K., Craig Ferguson, Carlos Mencia, Joel McHale, B.J. Novak, Tracy Morgan, Brian Regan, Sarah Silverman, and Katt Williams.   

In addition, the multi-year national partnership will include producing an on-air special shot at the Festival which will premiere in early 2009, as well as digital media support and other content opportunities.

The 2008 line-up builds on the overwhelming success of previous years to reach an even higher plateau of laughs. Presented in a record number of prestigious New York City venues -- including Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Harlem's World Famous Apollo Theater, Town Hall, Hammerstein Ballroom, Carolines on Broadway, the Paley Center for Media, and the 92nd Street Y -- this year's Festival boasts stand-out stand-up performances and panel discussions with writers from the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and the Emmy Award-winning writers from "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," and Lizz Winstead, co-creator of "The Daily Show," who will moderate a panel featuring the most insightful and hilarious political minds working today.

"We're thrilled to celebrate the fifth year of the New York Comedy Festival with such a talented and hilarious group of performers who are on the leading edge of the comedy business," said Caroline Hirsch, co-founder of the Festival and owner of Carolines on Broadway. "We are also very excited to launch a multi-year partnership with COMEDY CENTRAL, and look forward to working with them to extend the Festival's audience even further and to provide even more content and programming through COMEDY CENTRAL's various media platforms."

"COMEDY CENTRAL applauds the New York Comedy Festival for its ongoing efforts in showcasing and celebrating stand-up comedy," said Mitch Fried, senior vice president, promotion marketing, COMEDY CENTRAL.  "We are thrilled to partner with the Festival and Caroline's, the preeminent comedy club and look forward to providing a national platform for this illustrious event."  

The 2008 New York Comedy Festival is produced by Carolines on Broadway and United Entertainment Group.  The Festival is presented by myspace.com, New York Post, Time Out New York, WNYW/Fox 5 and WWOR/My9.  

The New York Comedy Festival has presented top tier acts in the past such as Rosie O'Donnell, Denis Leary, Dane Cook, Artie Lange, Howie Mandel, Damon Wayans, Roseanne Barr, DL Hughley, Mario Cantone, Steven Wright, Mo'Nique and Bill Maher.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.nycomedyfestival.com.  

Tickets for the Festival will be on sale starting Thursday, August 7 at 11 a.m.

Tickets for performances may also be purchased through:

    * Town Hall, Hammerstein Ballroom and Apollo Theater: Ticketmaster at 212-307-7171or www.ticketmaster.com
    * Carnegie Hall: via Carnegie Charge at 212-247-7800 or www.carnegiehall.org
    * Lincoln Center (Avery Fisher Hall): via Centercharge at 212-721-6500 or www.lincolncenter.org
    * Paley Center for Media: www.paleycenter.org (On Sale 9/23/2008)
    * 92nd Street Y: www.92y.org

 
THE 2008 NEW YORK COMEDY FESTIVAL

(Schedule below represents events confirmed to date and is subject to additions)
 

11/5/2008    Frank Caliendo Live     Carnegie Hall  

11/6/2008    Louis C.K. They're With Me    Town Hall

11/5/2008    "We Have a Winner" moderated by Lizz Winstead  92nd Street Y

11/6/2008   Katt Williams Live In Concert    Carnegie Hall

11/7/2008   Carlos Mencia: At Close Range    Avery Fisher Hall

11/7/2008   An Evening with Craig Ferguson   Town Hall
 
11/7/2008   Writers Speak! A Potentially Regrettable Evening with the Writers of The Daily Show    Paley Center

11/8/2008   Tracy Morgan: Coming Back Home   Apollo Theater

11/8/2008   Sarah Silverman and Friends    Hammerstein Ballroom

11/8/2008   Joel McHale Live at Town Hall    Town Hall

11/8/2008   Late Night with Conan O'Brien Writers'  Panel Discussion     Paley Center

11/9/2008   Brian Regan Live in Concert    Avery Fisher Hall

11/9/2008   B.J. Novak and Friends     Town Hall
 

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 and 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.