Comedy Press

 
 

SO COMEDY CENTRAL® WALKS INTO A BAR…
AND GETS INTO THE COMEDY CLUB BUSINESS
“COMEDY CENTRAL CERTIFIED CLUB” INITIATIVE
LAUNCHES NATIONWIDE WITH TOP COMEDY VENUES

“Certified Club” Status Includes Affiliation with the #1 Brand in Comedy,
Extensive Promotional Opportunities, Viewing Parties for Tent Pole Events,
Advance Screenings of New Series and Stand-up Specials, Digital Outreach and More

NEW YORK, January 10, 2013 – COMEDY CENTRAL is going beyond the two-drink minimum in top comedy clubs across the country with the creation of the “COMEDY CENTRAL Certified Club” program, providing participating clubs with the #1 brand in comedy’s certification and seal of approval, as well as many additional promotional initiatives, it was announced today by Mitch Fried, Executive Vice President, COMEDY CENTRAL Enterprises.

Through the exclusive “COMEDY CENTRAL Certified Club” program participating comedy clubs will receive valuable, national promotion via COMEDY CENTRAL’s linear and digital platforms, as well as the ability to offer “certified” live, stand-up shows and other COMEDY CENTRAL-branded opportunities. Among the benefits, each participating club will be promoted by COMEDY CENTRAL via an ongoing series of programming stunts, commercials and national sweepstakes, and will be included on comedycentral.com’s dedicated “Live Touring” section, which will incorporate show listings with direct ticket-purchase links for the venues.

In addition, each “Certified Club” will have the opportunity to host sanctioned viewing parties for COMEDY CENTRAL’s tent pole events, like the COMEDY CENTRAL Roasts, exclusive previews of the brand’s original series and stand-up specials prior to air on COMEDY CENTRAL.

“COMEDY CENTRAL has established great relationships with comedy clubs through our live touring arm and with the ‘Certified Club’ initiative we will be able to deepen our connection with the top venues and fans of comedy across the country,” said Fried. “Through this new venture local comedy clubs will be able to showcase and market their venues on a national scale via our massive promotional footprint and COMEDY CENTRAL will be able to extend its brand on-the-ground by directly engaging fans where they live.”

Charter members of “COMEDY CENTRAL’s Certified Club” initiative, which will roll-out in local markets immediately, are listed below.

CITYVENUE
Addison, TXAddison Improv
Arlington, TXArlington Improv
Boston, MAThe Wilbur Theatre
Brea, CABrea Improv
Charlotte, NCThe Comedy Zone
Chicago, ILChicago Improv
Cleveland, OHCleveland Improv
Denver, CODenver Improv
Ft. Lauderdale, FLFt. Lauderdale Improv
Hartford, CTHartford Funny Bone
Houston, TXHouston Improv
Irvine, CAIrvine Improv
Kansas City, MOKansas City Improv
Hollywood, CAHollywood Improv
Miami, FLMiami Improv
Nashville, TNZanies Comedy Showplace
New York, NYCarolines on Broadway
Ontario, CAOntario Improv
Orlando, FLOrlando Improv
Phoenix, AZStand Up Live
Pittsburgh, PAPittsburgh Improv
Sacramento, CAPunch Line Sacramento
San Francisco, CAPunch Line San Francisco
San Francisco, CACobb’s Comedy Club
San Jose, CASan Jose Improv
Tampa, FLTampa Improv
Virginia Beach, VAVirginia Beach Funny Bone
West Nyack, NYLevity Live
West Palm Beach, FLPalm Beach Improv


Available on-air, online and on-the-go, COMEDY CENTRAL (www.cc.com) is the #1 brand in comedy and is owned by, and is a registered trademark of, Comedy Partners, a wholly-owned unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA and VIAB). For up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs visit COMEDY CENTRAL's press Web site at www.cc.com/press and follow us on Twitter @ComedyCentralPR for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB) is home to the world's premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms in more than 160 countries and territories. With approximately 170 media networks reaching more than 600 million global subscribers, Viacom's leading brands include MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, BET, CENTRIC, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., TeenNick, Nicktoons, Nick at Nite, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV Land, Spike TV and Tr3s. Paramount Pictures, America's oldest film studio and creator of many of the most beloved motion pictures, continues today as a major global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. Viacom operates a large portfolio of branded digital media experiences, including many of the world's most popular properties for entertainment, community and casual online gaming. For more information about Viacom and its businesses, visit www.viacom.com.

CONTACT
Renata Luczak
212.767.8661
renata.luczak@comedycentral.com