These are the terms and conditions ("Official Rules") that apply to Comedy Central's Open Mic Fight stand-up contest (the "Competition") which is sponsored by Comedy Central, a programming channel operated by Comedy Partners ("CP"), a part of MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International Inc. ("MTV Networks"). All determinations and decisions of CP in connection with the Competition and these Official Rules shall be final and binding for all purposes on all entrants, contestants, winners and all other parties and CP has the sole and exclusive right to exercise its discretion and judgment in all matters regarding the administration, operation and conduct of the Competition. This Competition is void wherever prohibited or restricted by law.
1. Overview of the Competition and the Prizing.
The Competition will consist of several rounds of competition beginning with a preliminary round of approximately seventy-two (72) regional finalists ("Regional Finalists") selected by Comedy Central (according to the criteria set forth below) from the pool of videotaped and uploaded submissions received in connection with the Competition. The Regional Finalists will compete in one (1) of nine (9) regional competitions to be held in the following cities: Boston, MA; New York, NY; Miami, FL; Chicago, IL; Atlanta, GA; Minneapolis, MN; Los Angeles, CA; San Francisco, CA; and Austin, TX.
Twelve (12) semi-finalists (made up of one (1) winner from each of the nine (9) regional competitions, plus three (3) online "Viewer's Choice Winners" as described below) (collectively, the "Semi-Finalists"), will compete in a live semi-final stand-up event in Los Angeles for the chance to be designated as a top three (3) finalist (a "Finalist"). Performance clips of each of the three (3) Finalists will be posted on www.comedycentral.com for viewers to watch and vote for the finalist contestant to be crowned the Grand Prize Winner of Comedy Central's Open Mic Fight. The grand prize shall consist of the following:
* Appearance on a Comedy Central stand-up television program (program to be determined solely by Comedy Central;
* Featured exposure on Comedy Central's broadband video player;
* Live opening act performance (minimum of one (1) total performance) as part of a Comedy Central Live comedy tour;
* Inclusion as a "featured comic" on a Comedy Central download on iTunes;
* Inclusion as a "featured comic" on a Comedy Central special video compilation distributed via video-on-demand and mobile outlets;
* Option to receive six (6) months of talent representation from top industry talent agency; and,
* Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000) in cash.
The runner-up prizing for the second and third place Finalists shall consist of the following:
* Exposure on Comedy Central's broadband video player;
* Inclusion as a "warm-up comic" on a Comedy Central download on iTunes;
* Inclusion as a "warm-up comic" on a Comedy Central special video compilation distributed via video-on-demand and mobile outlets;
* Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000) in cash each for the second and third place Finalists.
2. Eligibility. You must live in the continental United States, or Hawaii and Alaska, and be twenty-one (21) years of age or older at time of entry, in order to enter or participate or win. The Competition is designed for comedians with some (although not necessarily extensive) prior public performance experience. However, entrants with all levels of experience are welcome. You may not enter or win if you have appeared in any on-air Comedy Central stand-up program. At time of entry and during the course of the Competition, entrants must not be under any third party agreements or options which might interfere with the entrant's entry, participation or winning the Competition and the prizes awarded including, but not limited to, rights to on-air or online broadcast of any material submitted or performed in connection with the Competition.
A group is not permitted to enter or submit an entry in this Competition and any attempt by multiple entrants to submit a Competition entry form, submission, or otherwise enter as a group without advance authorization from CP, will subject the entry to disqualification. Employees of Burger King Corporation, Comedy Central, Comedy Partners, Viacom International Inc., MTV Networks and their respective affiliated companies, sponsors, subsidiaries, advertising agencies (and the immediate families and members of the same household of each of these) are not eligible to enter, participate or win. By participating in this Competition, entrants agree to comply with and be bound by these Official Rules and by the decisions of CP, which are final in all matters relating to this Competition.
The Grand Prize Winner and each entrant must comply with all laws, regulations and requirements that apply to him or her and to her or his participation, entry or selection as an entrant, Regional Finalist, Semi-Finalist, Finalist or Grand Prize Winner and, unless otherwise set forth herein, any costs or expenses or obligations incurred by anyone entering, participating or winning are the sole responsibility of that person and not CP. Grand Prize Winner may be required to enter into binding legal contracts in connection with the acceptance and delivery of the Grand Prize.
The Competition is void where prohibited or restricted by law and is subject to all federal, state and local laws. By participating in the Competition, entrants agree to be bound by these official rules. Neither CP or sponsor(s) are liable for omissions or error in these official rules due to typographical, mechanical duplications or printing errors.
3. Entry to become one (1) of seventy-two (72) Regional Finalists.
Two ways to enter: a) VHS/DVD submission; or b) uploaded submission online. Entry period for both types of submissions begins April 16, 2007 and ends June 5, 2007.
a) VHS/DVD Submission: To enter the Competition via VHS/DVD submission, entrants must first obtain an Entry Form beginning April 16, 2007 at www.comedycentral.com/openmicfight. Download and complete an Entry Form along with your VHS or dvd to: Comedy Central's "Open Mic Fight" Stand-Up Competition, 1775 Broadway, 10th Floor, New York, NY, 10019. The videotape (1/2" VHS format- most common home vcr format) or dvd does not have to be professionally produced, but must be properly protected for shipping (entrants are responsible for postage/shipping charges ) and must be received by June 5, 2007. Submission must be between seven (7) and ten (10) minutes long (VHS tape must be queued to starting point). Each VHS/DVD submission must consist of a single comic's performance (which must be that of entrant) although multiple routines may be submitted on a single entry so long as the time limit is not exceeded. Only one VHS/DVD entry per entrant is permitted.
b) Uploaded Submission:
To enter the Competition via online upload submission, go to www.comedycentral.com/openmicfight and click on the "Upload Your Video" button and follow the instructions to upload your video. At the time of upload, you will be required to opt-in to enter the Competition and complete an Entry Form. The uploaded submission must be in a digital format that meets Comedy Central's website requirements.
Neither CP nor their respective affiliates or subsidiaries assume any liability for lost, late, misdirected or damaged videotapes or dvds. CP is not responsible for lost, misdirected or late entry forms or for any computer or telephone errors. Any entries not complying with all requirements of these Official Rules may be disqualified. No correspondence will be entered into, with or on behalf of, any entrant. As more fully described in Paragraph 5 below, all entries submitted, whether acceptable to CP, or not, become property of CP and will not be returned.
On or about June 25, 2007, the Regional Finalists will be selected by authorized Comedy Central representatives from among all qualified entries received. Selection will be based equally on Delivery, Material, Originality and Overall Impression. Potential Regional Finalists will be notified by phone and/or overnight delivery and be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility, a liability release, a publicity release (where legal) and any other documents requested by CP, all of which must be properly executed, via pre-paid overnight courier within five (5) days of issuance of a notification, or an alternate Regional Finalist may be selected.
Regional Competitions
The Regional Finalists will perform in regional competitions which are currently scheduled to be held as follows:
These dates and locations are subject to change at the sole discretion of CP. Each Regional Finalist is solely responsible for any travel and/or accommodation expenses that he or she may incur as a result of participating in a regional competition. In the event an entrant deemed a Regional Finalist cannot attend on the specified date, CP reserves the right to select an alternate Regional Finalist based on the criteria set forth above.
The Regional Finalists will be divided into groups of eight (8) comics per regional competition. The members of each group will compete against one another in a public performance that must be approximately six (6) to eight (8) minutes long in one of the comedy clubs listed above, or such other venue as may be selected by CP. Each Regional Finalist may, but is not required to, use the material contained in his or her VHS/DVD or uploaded submission. Each performance will be judged by a panel of judges selected by CP. The judges will select one (1) winner from each regional competition, or nine (9) finalists, based on the following criteria:
The Regional Finalist who receives the highest total scores among all those Regional Finalists performing in each regional competition will advance to the semi-final round. The winner of each regional competition will be announced at the end of that regional competition. In addition, nine (9) alternate winners (one from each regional competition) will be selected based on their scores. Clips from their respective regional competition performances will be posted on www.comedycentral.com where viewers will vote online for three (3) "Viewers' Choice Semi-Finalists."
Viewers' Choice Semi-Finalists
The three (3) Viewers' Choice Semi-Finalists will be determined through online and/or text voting over three (3) weeks from August 6, 2007 to August 28, 2007. The Viewers' Choice Semi-Finalists will compete in the semi-final round competition against the nine (9) regional winners. Standard text messaging rates will apply to votes submitted via text.
Any regional winner or Viewers' Choice Semi-Finalist who is deemed, for any reason (including failure to cooperate with Comedy Central representatives) unable or ineligible to compete in the semi-final round may, at the judges, or CP's sole discretion, be replaced by an alternate selected in descending order based on regional competition scores.
Semi-Final Round Competition
Twelve (12) Semi-Finalists (made up of the nine (9) regional winners and three (3) Viewers' Choice Semi-Finalists) will compete on September 6, 2007 in Los Angeles, CA (subject to change at CP's sole discretion). CP will provide each Semi-Finalist with roundtrip, coach-class airfare for one (1) person from the nearest major airport to Semi-Finalists' home to Los Angeles, CA, roundtrip airport transfers in Los Angeles and standard hotel accommodations for one (1) person in Los Angeles, CA for two (2) nights.
Tickets to the final competition will be sold to the public and the event may, at CP's sole discretion, be exhibited over the internet, filmed or taped for future airing or other purposes as determined by CP without additional compensation or consideration. Each finalist will be asked to perform a six (6) to eight (8) minute set. A group of judges selected by Comedy Central will choose one (1) Grand Prize winner based on the following criteria:
Two (2) points for each minute over eight (8) minutes will be deducted from the total score of any Semi-Finalist who exceeds the eight (8) minute time limit. (For example: The first 2-point penalty will be imposed at 8 minutes, 1 second; the second 2-point penalty will be imposed at 9 minutes, 1 second, etc.)
The top three (3) Semi-Finalists from the semi-final round of competition will be deemed the Finalists and will advance to the Final Round Competition on www.comedycentral.com to compete for online votes and the chance to win the Grand Prize.
Final Round Competition
Beginning September 13, 2007 through September 27, 2007, footage of each Finalist from the semi-final round of competition will be posted on www.comedycentral.com where viewers will be asked to vote for their favorite clip. The Finalist with the most votes will be crowned the Grand Prize Winner of Comedy Central's Open Mic Fight.
4. Tie-Breaking Procedures
Contestants whose scores are tied in the regional and semi-final rounds will be ranked in the following categories, in the following order:
1. Judges' Impression
2. Originality
3. Material
4. Delivery
The contestant with the highest ranking in the Judge's Impression category will be deemed the winner. If the contestants are tied in that category, then scores for Originality will be assessed to break the tie, and so on. If a tie exists in the regional or semi-final rounds despite application of the tie-breaker, each contestant's regional and semi-final round scores will be added together and the contestant with the highest aggregate score will be the winner among the tied contestants.
5. Contestant Reporting Procedures
To compete in the regional and semi-final rounds of the Competition, each contestant must be present at the designated area, ready to perform at least thirty (30) minutes prior to the performance time. Any contestant who fails to comply may be disqualified. For regional competitions, contestants may request, but will not be guaranteed, an alternate time for performance. For the final rounds, no alternate time slots will be granted.
6. Judges
Judging for regional and semi-final rounds will be conducted by a panel appointed by CP. The decisions of judges and CP concerning any and all aspects of the Competition are final and binding in all respects. At no time during any round of competition shall any contestant, or any person on behalf of a contestant, be permitted to approach or to attempt to speak directly with a judge for any reason unless specifically requested to do so by the judges. Failure to comply with this requirement may be grounds for immediate disqualification. Each contestant's scores will be disclosed to only that contestant at the end of the Competition after winner has been selected and other than the scores of the winners, CP shall attempt to keep all other scores confidential. Any inquiries regarding scores should be made via mail and sent to Comedy Central's "Open Mic Fight" Scores: 10th Floor, 1775 Broadway, New York, NY, 10019 after September 6, 2007.
7. Consistency of Performance Materials/Ability to Perform
Material used in Competition public performance rounds must be consistent with Comedy Central's image as determined by the judges and CP in their sole discretion and should comply with general audience broadcast standard TV-14. VHS/DVD submissions or uploaded submissions are not required to comply with the foregoing broadcast standard. Entries not complying with all requirements of these Official Rules may be disqualified.
If CP, in its sole discretion, determines that a contestant is unfit or unable to perform or participate in any portion of the Competition, CP may disqualify such contestant(s) and, at CP's election, replace any such contestant with an alternate contestant. In such event, CP's right to use the name, recorded voice, likeness and videotaped performance of any contestant, in whole or part, in any and all media in perpetuity throughout the universe in connection with or as a part of any exhibition, telecast, advertising, publicity or promotion of the services of Comedy Partners or of any program shall remain in full force and effect.
8. Ownership Rights ; Rights to Use Entries and Performances. Past experience has shown that contests and promotions generate similar submissions or entries which closely resemble concepts and ideas developed by CP, whether before, during or after the contest. Entrants may see a presentation which seemingly incorporates an idea or concept or includes materials similar to that contained in their entry (e.g., VHS/DVD or online uploaded submission). Any similarity may be purely coincidental and is always unavoidable in light of the volume of ideas which CP routinely considers in the course of its program development. Consequently, to protect itself from potential liability and claims, CP requires, and by submitting an entry, whether via VHS/DVD or online, or by performing in or participating in any round of the Competition, including any public performances captured, recorded, or otherwise retained by CP, entrants hereby agree to the following terms and conditions (i) CP may use any and all ideas, concepts, material, or expression, in whole or in part, contained in an entry, or videotaped or recorded at a public performance in the regional competitions or semi-final competition (collectively, the "Materials"); (ii) all Materials become the property of CP and will not be returned, (iii) entrants have obtained all rights, permissions and licenses necessary to use or perform the Materials for any purpose, (iv) the Materials do not infringe on any trademark, copyright or other property right, or violate anyone's right of privacy or publicity, any law, regulation or other agreement and (v) entrants consent to CP displaying, making available for display, performing, using and exhibiting the Materials in all media and means, now known or hereafter developed or discovered, in perpetuity, throughout the universe.
If you enter, attempt to enter, participate, perform, and/or are selected in any of the rounds or as a potential or actual Grand Prize Winner, you agree that the Materials may be used by CP, its parent, subsidiaries and affiliates, in whole or in part, for any purpose whatsoever without notice or compensation of any kind and even if there are any rights you may claim or arguably retain anywhere in the world and without negating or limiting any of the provisions of these Official Rules, you grant CP a non-exclusive, irrevocable and unrestricted right and license to exhibit, broadcast, copy, reproduce, encode, compress, encrypt, incorporate data into, edit, broadcast, rebroadcast, transmit, record, publicly perform, create derivative works of, distribute and synchronize in timed relation to visual elements, all and/or any portions of the Materials, in any manner, an unlimited number of times, in any and all media, now known or hereafter developed or devised, throughout the universe, in perpetuity.
9. Indemnity; If you enter, attempt to enter, participate and/or are selected in any of the rounds or as a potential or actual Grand Prize Winner, you agree (x) to indemnify and hold Burger King Corporation, CP, Viacom International Inc. and its parent, subsidiaries and affiliates, harmless from and against any and all claims, suits, losses, damages and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) that arise from your violation or breach of any of the terms or conditions of these Official Rules, including, without limitation, the representations and agreements in this Paragraph 9 and (y) to execute and deliver to CP all forms and documents, releases and agreements as specifically described and required hereunder, as well as any additional documents reasonably requested by CP and necessary to prove unrestricted ownership in the Materials and correspondingly your right to provide these Materials and performances to CP as described and CP's right to use such Materials without limitation for any purpose as its own and as contemplated and described hereunder. If chosen as Grand Prize Winner, you further unconditionally and irrevocably assign all right, title and interest in all such Materials contained in the winning entry or performance and agree to execute and deliver to CP such documentation as is requested by CP and reasonably necessary to enable CP to record, document and perfect such right, title and interest, as permitted by law.
10. General. CP reserves the right to disqualify any individual and/or any entry it finds or believes to be or to be related to (a) any tampering or interference with the Competition or its operation or any other party, (b) in breach or violation of the Official Rules, any law or regulation or other agreement or (c) acting in an inappropriate, unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner or with intent to annoy, intimidate, abuse, threaten or harass any other person. Any attempt to undermine the legitimate operation of the contest may be a violation of criminal and civil laws and not only does CP reserves the right to seek damages to the fullest extent permitted by law, but has the right to provide any and all information to law enforcement agents and officials.
The laws of the State of New York shall govern the interpretation and enforcement of these Official Rules and this Competition. The courts of the State of New York and the Federal court located in New York County, shall have sole and exclusive jurisdiction of any controversies regarding these Official Rules and this Competition and entrants submit to the personal jurisdiction of such courts and waive any and all objections to jurisdiction and venue in these courts. BY ENTERING, PARTICIPATING AND/OR ACCEPTING THE GRAND PRIZE, YOU HEREBY WAIVE THE RIGHT TO ANY TRIAL BY JURY.
If, for any reason, the Competition is not capable of running as planned or if CP believes or has any reason to believe, the Competition is or has been tampered with or is not operating as contemplated, including, without limitation, due to infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, insufficient entries, or any other causes beyond the control of CP which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of this Competition, CP reserves the right in its sole and unequivocal discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Competition and select the Regional Finalists, Semi-Finalists, Finalists, and Grand Prize Winner from Eligible Entries received unaffected by the problem. Entries that have been tampered with or altered are void and subject to disqualification.
11. To get the name of the Grand Prize Winner and runners up finalists, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to:
Comedy Central's Open Mic Fight Winners List
1775 Broadway, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10019
All requests must be received by October 27, 2007. Vermont residents may omit return postage.
12. The Competition is sponsored by Comedy Partners, 1775 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.
1. Overview of the Competition and the Prizing.
The Competition will consist of several rounds of competition beginning with a preliminary round of approximately seventy-two (72) regional finalists ("Regional Finalists") selected by Comedy Central (according to the criteria set forth below) from the pool of videotaped and uploaded submissions received in connection with the Competition. The Regional Finalists will compete in one (1) of nine (9) regional competitions to be held in the following cities: Boston, MA; New York, NY; Miami, FL; Chicago, IL; Atlanta, GA; Minneapolis, MN; Los Angeles, CA; San Francisco, CA; and Austin, TX.
Twelve (12) semi-finalists (made up of one (1) winner from each of the nine (9) regional competitions, plus three (3) online "Viewer's Choice Winners" as described below) (collectively, the "Semi-Finalists"), will compete in a live semi-final stand-up event in Los Angeles for the chance to be designated as a top three (3) finalist (a "Finalist"). Performance clips of each of the three (3) Finalists will be posted on www.comedycentral.com for viewers to watch and vote for the finalist contestant to be crowned the Grand Prize Winner of Comedy Central's Open Mic Fight. The grand prize shall consist of the following:
* Appearance on a Comedy Central stand-up television program (program to be determined solely by Comedy Central;
* Featured exposure on Comedy Central's broadband video player;
* Live opening act performance (minimum of one (1) total performance) as part of a Comedy Central Live comedy tour;
* Inclusion as a "featured comic" on a Comedy Central download on iTunes;
* Inclusion as a "featured comic" on a Comedy Central special video compilation distributed via video-on-demand and mobile outlets;
* Option to receive six (6) months of talent representation from top industry talent agency; and,
* Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000) in cash.
The runner-up prizing for the second and third place Finalists shall consist of the following:
* Exposure on Comedy Central's broadband video player;
* Inclusion as a "warm-up comic" on a Comedy Central download on iTunes;
* Inclusion as a "warm-up comic" on a Comedy Central special video compilation distributed via video-on-demand and mobile outlets;
* Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000) in cash each for the second and third place Finalists.
2. Eligibility. You must live in the continental United States, or Hawaii and Alaska, and be twenty-one (21) years of age or older at time of entry, in order to enter or participate or win. The Competition is designed for comedians with some (although not necessarily extensive) prior public performance experience. However, entrants with all levels of experience are welcome. You may not enter or win if you have appeared in any on-air Comedy Central stand-up program. At time of entry and during the course of the Competition, entrants must not be under any third party agreements or options which might interfere with the entrant's entry, participation or winning the Competition and the prizes awarded including, but not limited to, rights to on-air or online broadcast of any material submitted or performed in connection with the Competition.
A group is not permitted to enter or submit an entry in this Competition and any attempt by multiple entrants to submit a Competition entry form, submission, or otherwise enter as a group without advance authorization from CP, will subject the entry to disqualification. Employees of Burger King Corporation, Comedy Central, Comedy Partners, Viacom International Inc., MTV Networks and their respective affiliated companies, sponsors, subsidiaries, advertising agencies (and the immediate families and members of the same household of each of these) are not eligible to enter, participate or win. By participating in this Competition, entrants agree to comply with and be bound by these Official Rules and by the decisions of CP, which are final in all matters relating to this Competition.
The Grand Prize Winner and each entrant must comply with all laws, regulations and requirements that apply to him or her and to her or his participation, entry or selection as an entrant, Regional Finalist, Semi-Finalist, Finalist or Grand Prize Winner and, unless otherwise set forth herein, any costs or expenses or obligations incurred by anyone entering, participating or winning are the sole responsibility of that person and not CP. Grand Prize Winner may be required to enter into binding legal contracts in connection with the acceptance and delivery of the Grand Prize.
The Competition is void where prohibited or restricted by law and is subject to all federal, state and local laws. By participating in the Competition, entrants agree to be bound by these official rules. Neither CP or sponsor(s) are liable for omissions or error in these official rules due to typographical, mechanical duplications or printing errors.
3. Entry to become one (1) of seventy-two (72) Regional Finalists.
Two ways to enter: a) VHS/DVD submission; or b) uploaded submission online. Entry period for both types of submissions begins April 16, 2007 and ends June 5, 2007.
a) VHS/DVD Submission: To enter the Competition via VHS/DVD submission, entrants must first obtain an Entry Form beginning April 16, 2007 at www.comedycentral.com/openmicfight. Download and complete an Entry Form along with your VHS or dvd to: Comedy Central's "Open Mic Fight" Stand-Up Competition, 1775 Broadway, 10th Floor, New York, NY, 10019. The videotape (1/2" VHS format- most common home vcr format) or dvd does not have to be professionally produced, but must be properly protected for shipping (entrants are responsible for postage/shipping charges ) and must be received by June 5, 2007. Submission must be between seven (7) and ten (10) minutes long (VHS tape must be queued to starting point). Each VHS/DVD submission must consist of a single comic's performance (which must be that of entrant) although multiple routines may be submitted on a single entry so long as the time limit is not exceeded. Only one VHS/DVD entry per entrant is permitted.
b) Uploaded Submission:
To enter the Competition via online upload submission, go to www.comedycentral.com/openmicfight and click on the "Upload Your Video" button and follow the instructions to upload your video. At the time of upload, you will be required to opt-in to enter the Competition and complete an Entry Form. The uploaded submission must be in a digital format that meets Comedy Central's website requirements.
Neither CP nor their respective affiliates or subsidiaries assume any liability for lost, late, misdirected or damaged videotapes or dvds. CP is not responsible for lost, misdirected or late entry forms or for any computer or telephone errors. Any entries not complying with all requirements of these Official Rules may be disqualified. No correspondence will be entered into, with or on behalf of, any entrant. As more fully described in Paragraph 5 below, all entries submitted, whether acceptable to CP, or not, become property of CP and will not be returned.
On or about June 25, 2007, the Regional Finalists will be selected by authorized Comedy Central representatives from among all qualified entries received. Selection will be based equally on Delivery, Material, Originality and Overall Impression. Potential Regional Finalists will be notified by phone and/or overnight delivery and be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility, a liability release, a publicity release (where legal) and any other documents requested by CP, all of which must be properly executed, via pre-paid overnight courier within five (5) days of issuance of a notification, or an alternate Regional Finalist may be selected.
Regional Competitions
The Regional Finalists will perform in regional competitions which are currently scheduled to be held as follows:
| 1. Monday, 7/9/07 Comix 353 West 14th Street New York, NY 10014 |
4. Sunday, 7/15/07 Funny Farm Comedy Club 608 Holcomb Bridge Road Roswell, GA 30076 |
7. Thursday, 7/26/07 Cap City Comedy Club 8120 Research Blvd, #100 Austin, TX 78758 |
| 2. Tuesday, 7/10/07 Comedy Connection 245 Quincy Market Place Faneuil Hall, 2nd Floor Boston, MA 022109 |
5. Monday, 7/16/07 Acme Comedy Co. 708 North First Street Minneapolis, MN 55401 |
8. Sunday, 7/29/07 The Punchline 444 Battery Street San Francisco, CA 94111 |
| 3. Wednesday, 7/11/07 The Improv 3390 Mary Street, #356 Coconut Grove, FL 33133 |
6. Tuesday, 7/17/07 Zanies 1548 North Wells Chicago, IL 60610 |
9. Tuesday, 7/31/07 The Improv 8162 Melrose Avenue West Hollywood, CA 90046 |
These dates and locations are subject to change at the sole discretion of CP. Each Regional Finalist is solely responsible for any travel and/or accommodation expenses that he or she may incur as a result of participating in a regional competition. In the event an entrant deemed a Regional Finalist cannot attend on the specified date, CP reserves the right to select an alternate Regional Finalist based on the criteria set forth above.
The Regional Finalists will be divided into groups of eight (8) comics per regional competition. The members of each group will compete against one another in a public performance that must be approximately six (6) to eight (8) minutes long in one of the comedy clubs listed above, or such other venue as may be selected by CP. Each Regional Finalist may, but is not required to, use the material contained in his or her VHS/DVD or uploaded submission. Each performance will be judged by a panel of judges selected by CP. The judges will select one (1) winner from each regional competition, or nine (9) finalists, based on the following criteria:
| 1. Originality of Overall Performance (originality of premises for jokes, unique point of view, interesting stage persona): |
10 points |
| 2. Delivery (stage presence, comfort level, comedic timing): |
10 points |
| 3. Material (quality of writing): |
10 points |
| 4. Judge's Impression: | 15 points |
| Total | 45 points |
The Regional Finalist who receives the highest total scores among all those Regional Finalists performing in each regional competition will advance to the semi-final round. The winner of each regional competition will be announced at the end of that regional competition. In addition, nine (9) alternate winners (one from each regional competition) will be selected based on their scores. Clips from their respective regional competition performances will be posted on www.comedycentral.com where viewers will vote online for three (3) "Viewers' Choice Semi-Finalists."
Viewers' Choice Semi-Finalists
The three (3) Viewers' Choice Semi-Finalists will be determined through online and/or text voting over three (3) weeks from August 6, 2007 to August 28, 2007. The Viewers' Choice Semi-Finalists will compete in the semi-final round competition against the nine (9) regional winners. Standard text messaging rates will apply to votes submitted via text.
Any regional winner or Viewers' Choice Semi-Finalist who is deemed, for any reason (including failure to cooperate with Comedy Central representatives) unable or ineligible to compete in the semi-final round may, at the judges, or CP's sole discretion, be replaced by an alternate selected in descending order based on regional competition scores.
Semi-Final Round Competition
Twelve (12) Semi-Finalists (made up of the nine (9) regional winners and three (3) Viewers' Choice Semi-Finalists) will compete on September 6, 2007 in Los Angeles, CA (subject to change at CP's sole discretion). CP will provide each Semi-Finalist with roundtrip, coach-class airfare for one (1) person from the nearest major airport to Semi-Finalists' home to Los Angeles, CA, roundtrip airport transfers in Los Angeles and standard hotel accommodations for one (1) person in Los Angeles, CA for two (2) nights.
Tickets to the final competition will be sold to the public and the event may, at CP's sole discretion, be exhibited over the internet, filmed or taped for future airing or other purposes as determined by CP without additional compensation or consideration. Each finalist will be asked to perform a six (6) to eight (8) minute set. A group of judges selected by Comedy Central will choose one (1) Grand Prize winner based on the following criteria:
| 1. Originality of Overall Performance (originality of premises for jokes, unique point of view, interesting stage persona): | 10 points |
| 2. Delivery (stage presence, comfort level, comedic timing): | 10 points |
| 3. Material (quality of writing): | 10 points |
| 4. Judge's Impression | 15 points |
| Total | 45 points |
Two (2) points for each minute over eight (8) minutes will be deducted from the total score of any Semi-Finalist who exceeds the eight (8) minute time limit. (For example: The first 2-point penalty will be imposed at 8 minutes, 1 second; the second 2-point penalty will be imposed at 9 minutes, 1 second, etc.)
The top three (3) Semi-Finalists from the semi-final round of competition will be deemed the Finalists and will advance to the Final Round Competition on www.comedycentral.com to compete for online votes and the chance to win the Grand Prize.
Final Round Competition
Beginning September 13, 2007 through September 27, 2007, footage of each Finalist from the semi-final round of competition will be posted on www.comedycentral.com where viewers will be asked to vote for their favorite clip. The Finalist with the most votes will be crowned the Grand Prize Winner of Comedy Central's Open Mic Fight.
4. Tie-Breaking Procedures
Contestants whose scores are tied in the regional and semi-final rounds will be ranked in the following categories, in the following order:
1. Judges' Impression
2. Originality
3. Material
4. Delivery
The contestant with the highest ranking in the Judge's Impression category will be deemed the winner. If the contestants are tied in that category, then scores for Originality will be assessed to break the tie, and so on. If a tie exists in the regional or semi-final rounds despite application of the tie-breaker, each contestant's regional and semi-final round scores will be added together and the contestant with the highest aggregate score will be the winner among the tied contestants.
5. Contestant Reporting Procedures
To compete in the regional and semi-final rounds of the Competition, each contestant must be present at the designated area, ready to perform at least thirty (30) minutes prior to the performance time. Any contestant who fails to comply may be disqualified. For regional competitions, contestants may request, but will not be guaranteed, an alternate time for performance. For the final rounds, no alternate time slots will be granted.
6. Judges
Judging for regional and semi-final rounds will be conducted by a panel appointed by CP. The decisions of judges and CP concerning any and all aspects of the Competition are final and binding in all respects. At no time during any round of competition shall any contestant, or any person on behalf of a contestant, be permitted to approach or to attempt to speak directly with a judge for any reason unless specifically requested to do so by the judges. Failure to comply with this requirement may be grounds for immediate disqualification. Each contestant's scores will be disclosed to only that contestant at the end of the Competition after winner has been selected and other than the scores of the winners, CP shall attempt to keep all other scores confidential. Any inquiries regarding scores should be made via mail and sent to Comedy Central's "Open Mic Fight" Scores: 10th Floor, 1775 Broadway, New York, NY, 10019 after September 6, 2007.
7. Consistency of Performance Materials/Ability to Perform
Material used in Competition public performance rounds must be consistent with Comedy Central's image as determined by the judges and CP in their sole discretion and should comply with general audience broadcast standard TV-14. VHS/DVD submissions or uploaded submissions are not required to comply with the foregoing broadcast standard. Entries not complying with all requirements of these Official Rules may be disqualified.
If CP, in its sole discretion, determines that a contestant is unfit or unable to perform or participate in any portion of the Competition, CP may disqualify such contestant(s) and, at CP's election, replace any such contestant with an alternate contestant. In such event, CP's right to use the name, recorded voice, likeness and videotaped performance of any contestant, in whole or part, in any and all media in perpetuity throughout the universe in connection with or as a part of any exhibition, telecast, advertising, publicity or promotion of the services of Comedy Partners or of any program shall remain in full force and effect.
8. Ownership Rights ; Rights to Use Entries and Performances. Past experience has shown that contests and promotions generate similar submissions or entries which closely resemble concepts and ideas developed by CP, whether before, during or after the contest. Entrants may see a presentation which seemingly incorporates an idea or concept or includes materials similar to that contained in their entry (e.g., VHS/DVD or online uploaded submission). Any similarity may be purely coincidental and is always unavoidable in light of the volume of ideas which CP routinely considers in the course of its program development. Consequently, to protect itself from potential liability and claims, CP requires, and by submitting an entry, whether via VHS/DVD or online, or by performing in or participating in any round of the Competition, including any public performances captured, recorded, or otherwise retained by CP, entrants hereby agree to the following terms and conditions (i) CP may use any and all ideas, concepts, material, or expression, in whole or in part, contained in an entry, or videotaped or recorded at a public performance in the regional competitions or semi-final competition (collectively, the "Materials"); (ii) all Materials become the property of CP and will not be returned, (iii) entrants have obtained all rights, permissions and licenses necessary to use or perform the Materials for any purpose, (iv) the Materials do not infringe on any trademark, copyright or other property right, or violate anyone's right of privacy or publicity, any law, regulation or other agreement and (v) entrants consent to CP displaying, making available for display, performing, using and exhibiting the Materials in all media and means, now known or hereafter developed or discovered, in perpetuity, throughout the universe.
If you enter, attempt to enter, participate, perform, and/or are selected in any of the rounds or as a potential or actual Grand Prize Winner, you agree that the Materials may be used by CP, its parent, subsidiaries and affiliates, in whole or in part, for any purpose whatsoever without notice or compensation of any kind and even if there are any rights you may claim or arguably retain anywhere in the world and without negating or limiting any of the provisions of these Official Rules, you grant CP a non-exclusive, irrevocable and unrestricted right and license to exhibit, broadcast, copy, reproduce, encode, compress, encrypt, incorporate data into, edit, broadcast, rebroadcast, transmit, record, publicly perform, create derivative works of, distribute and synchronize in timed relation to visual elements, all and/or any portions of the Materials, in any manner, an unlimited number of times, in any and all media, now known or hereafter developed or devised, throughout the universe, in perpetuity.
9. Indemnity; If you enter, attempt to enter, participate and/or are selected in any of the rounds or as a potential or actual Grand Prize Winner, you agree (x) to indemnify and hold Burger King Corporation, CP, Viacom International Inc. and its parent, subsidiaries and affiliates, harmless from and against any and all claims, suits, losses, damages and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) that arise from your violation or breach of any of the terms or conditions of these Official Rules, including, without limitation, the representations and agreements in this Paragraph 9 and (y) to execute and deliver to CP all forms and documents, releases and agreements as specifically described and required hereunder, as well as any additional documents reasonably requested by CP and necessary to prove unrestricted ownership in the Materials and correspondingly your right to provide these Materials and performances to CP as described and CP's right to use such Materials without limitation for any purpose as its own and as contemplated and described hereunder. If chosen as Grand Prize Winner, you further unconditionally and irrevocably assign all right, title and interest in all such Materials contained in the winning entry or performance and agree to execute and deliver to CP such documentation as is requested by CP and reasonably necessary to enable CP to record, document and perfect such right, title and interest, as permitted by law.
10. General. CP reserves the right to disqualify any individual and/or any entry it finds or believes to be or to be related to (a) any tampering or interference with the Competition or its operation or any other party, (b) in breach or violation of the Official Rules, any law or regulation or other agreement or (c) acting in an inappropriate, unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner or with intent to annoy, intimidate, abuse, threaten or harass any other person. Any attempt to undermine the legitimate operation of the contest may be a violation of criminal and civil laws and not only does CP reserves the right to seek damages to the fullest extent permitted by law, but has the right to provide any and all information to law enforcement agents and officials.
The laws of the State of New York shall govern the interpretation and enforcement of these Official Rules and this Competition. The courts of the State of New York and the Federal court located in New York County, shall have sole and exclusive jurisdiction of any controversies regarding these Official Rules and this Competition and entrants submit to the personal jurisdiction of such courts and waive any and all objections to jurisdiction and venue in these courts. BY ENTERING, PARTICIPATING AND/OR ACCEPTING THE GRAND PRIZE, YOU HEREBY WAIVE THE RIGHT TO ANY TRIAL BY JURY.
If, for any reason, the Competition is not capable of running as planned or if CP believes or has any reason to believe, the Competition is or has been tampered with or is not operating as contemplated, including, without limitation, due to infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, insufficient entries, or any other causes beyond the control of CP which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of this Competition, CP reserves the right in its sole and unequivocal discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Competition and select the Regional Finalists, Semi-Finalists, Finalists, and Grand Prize Winner from Eligible Entries received unaffected by the problem. Entries that have been tampered with or altered are void and subject to disqualification.
11. To get the name of the Grand Prize Winner and runners up finalists, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to:
Comedy Central's Open Mic Fight Winners List
1775 Broadway, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10019
All requests must be received by October 27, 2007. Vermont residents may omit return postage.
12. The Competition is sponsored by Comedy Partners, 1775 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.
