May 17, 2012

The Comedy Network Heats Up the Hilarity Hoopla This June

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• Get ready to giggle, grin and guffaw with the JUST FOR LAUGHS GALAS premiere Monday, June 4 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
• Comedy dives into the Olympic spirit to deal with the “important issues” surrounding the games in the series premiere of TWENTY TWELVE, Sunday, June 17 at 9 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.
• Witness America’s sweetheart, Betty White, take humour to the next level with a fearless band of senior citizen pranksters in BETTY WHITE’S OFF THEIR ROCKERS, Sunday, June 17 at 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. ET/PT.
• Catch a brand new SATURDAY NIGHT STAND UP specials, PAUL F. TOMPKINS: LABORING UNDER DELUSIONS, Saturday (June 2 at 9 p.m. ET/PT), JIM GAFFIGAN: BEYOND THE PALE (June 30 at 9 p.m. ET/PT) and enjoy encores of fan favourites with Robin Williams, George Carlin and John Pinette.

** Media Note ** Download photos from BellMediaPR.ca/comedy. Screeners available by request.

Below is a chronological listing of Comedy’s programming highlights for June. All programming is subject to change.

Friday, June 1
10:30 p.m. ET/PT – SCARE TACTICS – “Party Till You Nuke”
A party-planner becomes mixed up with a group of extreme eco-activists who have picked that night to blow up a nuclear reactor. A cult guru gets his assistant to help with his doomsday plan to kill his followers. A man who thinks he's on a prank show is left in a sticky situation after his hospital “prank” kills an innocent patient and a rich woman's ghost teaches some home inspectors not to steal from her.

Saturday, June 2
9 p.m. ET/PT – SATURDAY NIGHT STAND UP – PAUL F. TOMPKINS: LABOURING UNDER DELUSIONS *Special Premiere*
Before achieving success as a comedian, actor, and writer, Paul F. Tompkins toiled in the ranks of the common working man and he shares some of his incredible experiences in this all-new special. Using his trademark storytelling style, Tompkins recounts his stint as a disgruntled hat salesman, his evolution into a sticky-fingered video store clerk, and how hosting VH1’s BEST WEEK EVER led to inadvertently donning women’s undergarments. With his fist raised high, Tompkins delivers a rousing hour of comedy to a raucous audience at the historic Alex Theatre in Glendale, CA.

Monday, June 4
10 p.m. ET/PT – JUST FOR LAUGHS GALAS – Episode 1 *Series Premiere*
Laugh along with the Louis C.K., Pete Zedlacher, Whoopi Goldberg and Jim Gaffigan stand-up specials from the 2009 JUST FOR LAUGHS festival.

Tuesday, June 5
10 p.m. ET/PT- TOSH.0- Episode 12
Daniel starts an account with the crowd-funding Web site Kickstarter; to investigate Internet searches and a Web Redemption for a skater who's lucky to be alive.

10:30 p.m. ET/PT – TOTAL BLACKOUT – “2 Heads are Blinder Than 1”
Couples Brandon and Maxwell, Hughette and Alexis, Jonathan and Sylvia and Katie and Kellie must rely on their sense of touch to identify items in tanks, cross a bridge that they think is high in the air and navigate through an obstacle course wearing hats they believe have scorpions and tarantulas on them. All of this must be done in total darkness.

Friday, June 8
10:30 p.m. ET/PT – SCARE TACTICS – “The Corpse Whisperer”
A cemetery security guard witnesses a voodoo ritual and then is attacked by zombies. A young man's date with a gorgeous woman is spoiled when her demonic ex-boyfriend shows up angry. A model tests out a new skin care procedure that doesn't rejuvenate skin so much as burn it off with
Lasers and a children's birthday party turns deadly when the birthday girl's dad reveals his split personality.

Saturday, June 9
9 p.m. ET/PT – SATURDAY NIGHT STAND UP: ROBIN WILLIAMS: WEAPONS OF SELF DESCTRUCTION *Encore Broadcast*
In his first solo TV concert since 2002, megastar Robin Williams storms the stage with his bold display of comedy, mayhem and a hilarious deluge of flamboyant observational humor. Filmed at Washington D.C.'s DAR Constitution Hall, this special covers such topics as global warming and health care in America. With four Golden Globes®, as well as the prestigious Cecil B. DeMille Award, four Grammys®, three Oscar® nominations and an Oscar ® win for Good Will Hunting, Williams is one of the most successful and beloved figures in entertainment history.

Monday, June 11
10 p.m. ET/PT – JUST FOR LAUGHS GALAS – Episode 2
Laugh along with the Jim Breuer, Mark Forward and Lewis Black stand-up specials from the 2009 JUST FOR LAUGHS festival.

Tuesday, June 12
10 p.m. ET/PT – TOSH.0 – Episode 13
Daniel gets shot with a cannon, and introduces some new emoticons, and the guy who got pepper sprayed gets a web redemption.

10:30 p.m. ET/PT – TOTAL BLACKOUT – “Touch, Sniff and Transfer”
Contestants Eddie, Ingrid, Michael and Rob battle in three extreme challenges - Four Tanks, The Nose Knows and The Sleepy Spider - to see who can face their fears and come out on top.

Friday, June 15
10:30 p.m. ET/PT – SCARE TACTICS – “Alien Car Crash”
A routine insurance investigation turns into a terrifying encounter with visitors from outer space. A morgue assistant finds that one of the corpses has a crush on him. The search for a legendary explorer's treasure takes a turn for the paranormal when the explorer's spirit returns to guard his booty and a coma-ward worker is scared to death when a patient wakes up and attempts to murder her.

Saturday, June 16
9 p.m. ET/PT – SATURDAY NIGHT STAND UP: GEORGE CARLIN: JAMMIN IN NEW YORK *Encore Broadcast*
Taped at the Paramount Theater in Madison Square Garden and winner of the 1992 CableACE Award, this special is a perfect blend of biting social commentary and more gently-observed observational pieces. Reportedly one of the late comedian’s favourite stand-up gigs, Carlin uses his sharp-edged wit to dissect political figures, government agencies... and eating disorders in this Emmy-nominated special.

Sunday, June 17
8 p.m. ET/PT – BETTY WHITE’S OFF THEIR ROCKERS – *Series Premiere*
America's favorite comedy sweetheart, Betty White, sends a fearless band of senior citizens to the streets to pull shockingly hilarious pranks on the younger generation in an outrageously funny "hidden camera" show. The star of the series, along with the inimitable and charming White are featured in brazenly funny sketches, providing saucy commentary between the pranks and sharing her engaging, comical pearls of wisdom.

8:30 p.m. ET/PT – BETTY WHITE’S OFF THEIR ROCKERS – Episode 2
90-year-old Betty White and her band of senior pranksters play hidden camera tricks on unsuspecting everyday people.

9 p.m. ET/PT – TWENTY TWELVE – *Series Premiere*
In the premiere episode, the marketing team come up with a major public event that requires a modern clock to be installed on the banks of the Thames. The only problem is that the clock has a potentially disastrous design flaw which no-one seems to have noticed until it is too late. Stars Hugh Bonneville (credit), Jessica Hyne (credit), Olivia Colman (credit) and Amelia Bullmore (credit).

9:45 p.m. ET/PT – TWENTY TWELVE - Episode 2
A visiting group of dignitaries is in London for the week to see the Olympic Stadium. The Head of Deliverance (Hugh Bonneville) and his team meet the Brazilian delegation only to face multiple embarrassing set backs including language difficulties, satellite navigation issues, burst water mains and phantom punctures.

Monday, June 18
10 p.m. ET/PT – JUST FOR LAUGHS GALAS – Episode 3
Laugh along with the Aziz Ansari, Stewart Francis and Kevin Hart stand-up specials from the 2009 JUST FOR LAUGHS festival.

Tuesday, June 19
10 p.m. ET/PT – TOSH.0 – Episode 14
Daniel gives the spelling bee kid a web redemption, talks with zombies, and blows something up.

10:30 p.m. ET/PT – TOTAL BLACKOUT – “Good With Your Hands, Good With Your Nose”
Contestants Brooke, Ciandre, Tony and Rick must use only their hands to place four different creatures in the correct order on the food chain, identify foods by smelling people’s breathes and crawl through a maze filled with rats to collect two pieces of cheese.

Friday, June 22
10:30 p.m. ET/PT – SCARE TACTICS – “Gnome Sweet Gnome”
A babysitter learns that nasty things come in small packages after a vengeful garden gnome comes to life and attacks her. A man who thinks he's on a prank show is under arrest when his “prank” goes wrong and results in vehicular homicide. A child psychiatrist loses his mind and murders his assistant after getting in touch with his inner-baby. An assistant on a reality nature show drives the co-host into a jealous—and deadly—rage.

Saturday, June 23
9 p.m. ET/PT – SATURDAY NIGHT STAND UP: JOHN PINETTE: STILL HUNGRY *Encore Broadcast*
Filmed at the Vic Theater in Chicago, the comedian with an appetite stays true to his reputation, discussing everything and anything about food in today’s culture and in his own personal life. Pinette wonders how anyone can diet in this day and age when there are Cold Stone Creameries next door to Weight Watchers and three different TV shows with the world “cake” in their titles. From arguing the stupidity of a panini maker (“just use a frying pan!”), to explaining why arugula is the “Emperor’s New Clothes” of food, Pinette passionately expresses his frustrating infatuation with food in this one-hour special.

Sunday, June 24
8 p.m. ET/PT – BETTY WHITE’S OFF THEIR ROCKERS – Episode 3
Senior pranks include an oldster writing a lusty text message, a seniors petition that only attractive people can reproduce, a flight attendant with a hangover and Ted Lange (THE LOVE BOAT) serving up an IV solution to a hospital patient.

8:30 p.m. ET/PT – BETTY WHITE’S OFF THEIR ROCKERS – Episode 4
Senior pranks include someone tangling with a street performer, an elderly patient trying to escape from inside an ambulance and a senior who falls asleep while driving his electric scooter.

9 p.m. ET/PT – TWENTY TWELVE – Episode 3
Roman remains of potentially national significance have been discovered on the site of the aquatics centre, forcing the team to contemplate radical last-minute modifications. The Head of Branding (Jessica Hyne), the Head of Infrastructure (Karl Theobald) and the Head of Sustainability (Amelia Bullmore) face multiple sensitive issues including audio logos, video blogs and flight paths.

9:45 p.m. ET/PT – TWENTY TWELVE – Episode 4
An idealistic double Olympic silver medalist (Darren Boyd) chosen as a brand ambassador ends up having about as much charisma as a dimmer switch. The Head of Sustainability (Amelia Bullmore) discovers that there might not be enough wind to power the Olympic Park wind turbine.

Monday, June 25
10 p.m. ET/PT – JUST FOR LAUGHS GALAS – Episode 4
Laugh along with the Jim Gaffigan, Martin Short and Tommy Tiernan stand-up specials from the 2009 JUST FOR LAUGHS festival.

Tuesday, June 26
10 p.m. ET/PT – TOSH.0 – Episode 15
Episodic information is currently unavailable. Please visit www.bellmediapr.ca/comedy for updates

10:30 p.m. ET/PT – TOTAL BLACKOUT – “Lick, Limbo, Lather and Repeat”
Contestants Chellena, Cliff, Irina and Justin must identify items using only their tongues, clear three imaginary limbo sticks they think will tase them if touched and identify items being poured into a tub.

Friday, June 29
10:30 p.m. ET/PT – SCARE TACTICS – “Fright at the End of the Tunnel”
An exterminator's assistant finds out that rat traps are no match for the hellish creature living in the tunnels beneath a mansion. A comedy awards show, with Tracy Morgan as guest presenter, is anything but funny when the loser of the night tries to kill his way to the top. The personal assistant to a troubled knife-thrower is put in danger when her boss goes off his medication and target practice turns deadly and a nice young man’s blind date goes awry when he is forced to marry a pair of freakish sisters.

Saturday, June 30
9 p.m. ET/PT – SATURDAY NIGHT STAND UP: JIM GAFFIGAN: BEYOND THE PALE *Special Premiere*
Beyond Jim Gaffigan's white guy, "everyman" exterior, is a passion for life, laughs and fine food…particularly hot pockets. Filmed and recorded in Chicago's historic Vic Theater, the JIM GAFFIGAN: BEYOND THE PALE special showcase the comic's humorous perspective on everyday situations, deadpan delivery and knack for pointing out the not–so–obvious. From the very first moments, Gaffigan's unique comedic persona takes over, cantankerous but endearing, clean but cutting, with an irrepressible "inside voice" that keeps wickedly popping out, causing viewers to crack up with laughter.


- Comedy -

For more information, please contact:
Simone Gervais, The Comedy Network, 416.384.3058 or
simone.gervais@bellmedia.ca
Sarah Schneider, The Comedy Network, 416.384.3193 or sarah.schneider@bellmedia.ca

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