IFC

Adds Four Key Acquisitions to its 2011 Programming Slate

"SLIGHTLY OFF" SERIES INCLUDE: "THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW," "THE BEN STILLER SHOW," "MR. SHOW WITH BOB AND DAVID"
AND "ACTION"

Series to Air in New 90-Minute Comedy Showcase Debuting Monday, January 3, Featuring Interviews with Well-Known Comedians and Hosted by Comedy Death-Ray’s Scott Aukerman

NEW YORK, NY – December 2, 2010 – Continuing its successful strategy of returning "slightly off" cult favorite shows to their loyal TV fans, IFC announced today that the network has acquired the complete series of The Larry Sanders Show, The Ben Stiller Show, Mr. Show with Bob and DavidSM and Action. The comedy series will debut on IFC in 2011, joining previously acquired viewer favorites Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Arrested Development, Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared. The new comedies will also complement IFC’s 2011 original series, including Onion News Network, the first television series based on the iconic fake news organization, and Portlandia, a short-based scripted comedy series from Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein.

"These four acquisitions are the perfect companion to the growing line-up of alternative comedies on IFC," said Jennifer Caserta, executive vice president & general manager, IFC. "They all have incredibly passionate, loyal fans and by pairing them within a comedy block we’re giving our viewers unique context about the shows and the influential comedians who create them. As a former writer and actor on Mr. Show, Scott Aukerman brings his own unique and interesting stories to IFC along with great relationships in the alt comedy space."

IFC will air its acquired series within a new 90-minute comedy block, which will feature exclusive new interviews with writers, creators and stars of each show along with comedians who have been influenced by them. Each interviewee will give anecdotes and behind-the-scenes commentary as well as personal stories related to each series. Hosted by comedian Scott Aukerman, founder of the Comedy Death-Ray weekly live comedy show in Los Angeles, the comedy block will launch on Monday, January 3 and air on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10-11:30 pm, et/pt. The debut will feature interviews with actors Andy Dick (The Ben Stiller Show) and Sarah Silverman (Mr. Show).

Commented Scott Aukerman: "I am thrilled to be a part of such a great collection of shows. Simply put, IFC is the place to be."

The Larry Sanders Show (89 x 30)
Premieres Monday, January 3 @ 11 pm; New episodes air Mondays, Tuesdays & Wednesday @ 11 pm
Stars Garry Shandling as vain, neurotic talk show host Larry Sanders in a satirical sitcom that focuses on the running of his TV show, including behind-the-scenes characters and occasional celebrity guests playing self-parodying versions of themselves, including Jeffrey Tambor, Jeremy Piven, Janeane Garofalo and Rip Torn, among many others. The show aired from 1992-1998 on HBO® and won three Emmy® awards and received 56 Emmy® nominations. IFC acquired the series from Sony Pictures Television.

The Ben Stiller Show (13 x 30)
Premieres Wednesday, January 5 @ 10:30 pm; New episodes air Wednesdays @ 10:30 pm
The acclaimed series – starring Ben Stiller, Janeane Garofalo, Andy Dick and Bob Odenkirk – features comedy segments parodying television shows, movies, commercials, rock musicians, celebrities and other elements of pop culture. Created by Ben Stiller and Judd Apatow, the series won an Emmy® Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing in a Variety or Music Program. Writers on the series included Stiller, Apatow, Odenkirk and David Cross, among others. It aired on FOX from September 1992 to January 1993. IFC acquired the series from Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution.

Mr. Show with Bob and David (30 x 30)
Premieres Friday, January 7 @ 11 pm; New episodes air Fridays @ 11:30 pm
The hit series seamlessly blends one sketch into another, specializing in absurdist comedy that targets everything from politics to religion to Generation X. Executive produced and starring David Cross and Bob Odenkirk, the series features comics including Sarah Silverman, Jay Johnston, Brian Posehn, Jerry Minor, Jack Black, Paul F. Tompkins and Tom Kenny. The series aired on HBO from 1995-98. IFC acquired the series from HBO.

Action (13 x 30)
Premieres in 4th quarter 2011
A comedy series about Hollywood producer Peter Dragon (Jay Mohr), who is under pressure to bounce back from his last film, a box office failure. The series, which was critically acclaimed for its irreverent look at Hollywood culture, also stars Ileana Douglas as VP of Production at Dragon’s production company, and Buddy Hackett as Peter’s uncle and chief of security. The series aired on FOX during the 1999-2000 season. IFC acquired the series from Sony Pictures Television.

Comedy Death-Ray
Comedy Death-Ray is a weekly comedy show held at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater in Los Angeles, hosted by Scott Aukerman and BJ Porter, former writers and stars of Mr. Show with Bob and David. The weekly show is a who’s who of alternative comedy performers, many of whom are featured in or associated with the four series announced today. Aukerman also hosts Comedy Death-Ray Radio, a weekly radio program that features many regulars from the stage show.

New Year’s Sneak Peeks
IFC will offer viewers a sneak peek of Mr. Show and The Larry Sanders Show during special New Year’s Eve and Day marathons. Mr. Show will air on New Year’s Eve from midnight to 6 am on New Year’s Day. IFC will also showcase 24 hours of The Larry Sanders Show beginning New Year’s Day at 6 am and ending on Sunday, January 2 at 6 am. More back-to-back episodes of Mr. Show will then air on Sunday from 6 am to 6 pm.

About IFC
IFC creates and champions authentic, original content that is "Always On. Slightly Off." Since 1994, IFC has cultivated television programming that challenges the conventions of storytelling. Today, IFC continues to embrace content with an indie perspective. Original series – headlined by brand-defining scripted and sketch comedy – air alongside an extraordinary collection of films and cult TV shows. Long and short-form original content inspired by music, web, gaming, animation, news, and culture is available on multiple platforms. IFC provides viewers access to must-see festivals and events around the country, like the Film Independent’s Spirit Awards and SXSW. IFC.com features exclusive video, podcasts, blogs, news and reviews cultivated and written by industry experts. The network’s On Demand offering, IFC Free, gives fans the opportunity to watch select content from IFC whenever they want. IFC is a subsidiary of Rainbow Media Holdings LLC.

About Rainbow Media Holdings LLC
Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE: CVC). Rainbow Media owns and operates some of the world’s most popular and award-winning entertainment brands, including AMC, IFC, Sundance Channel, WE tv, Wedding Central and IFC Entertainment (IFC Center, IFC Films, IFC In Theaters, IFC Midnight and IFC Productions). Additional information about Rainbow Media’s multiplatform brands is available at www.rainbow-media.com.

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Press Contacts

  • Jaime Saberito
    jmsaberito@rainbow-media.com
    646-273-3628