Awkwardness Rules As Matt Braunger's Original One-Hour Stand-Up Special "Matt Braunger: Shovel Fighter" Premieres On Comedy Central® Saturday, July 14 At 11:00 P.M. ET/PT

NEW YORK, June 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Matt Braunger brings the funny to COMEDY CENTRAL, and the awkward comes along for a ride in the world premiere of his original one-hour stand-up special, "Matt Braunger: Shovel Fighter," debuting Saturday, July 14 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT.

In his first one-hour special, Braunger enthusiastically brings awkward to a whole new level of funny with his descriptive and inventive wit.  In front of a live audience at the Gramercy Theatre in New York, he covers his genius business ideas, from a strip club that women will really want to visit, to a frighteningly realistic frozen dinner, to the world's most needed new airline.  With his expressive style and perhaps a little song, Braunger also imparts key life advice, explaining the one sound everyone should learn to recognize, the importance of trusting one's instincts to be afraid, and why working in a greeting card store may not quite be the worst job on the planet.

The "Matt Braunger: Shovel Fighter" extended and uncensored DVD, featuring 15 minutes of content not seen in the broadcast, will be released on July 17 by COMEDY CENTRAL Home Entertainment.  The bonus features include commercials for "Lonelyman Dinners," a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the open, and Braunger's pitch for the stand-up special.

Also on July 17, COMEDY CENTRAL Records will release the "Matt Braunger: Shovel Fighter" digital album, recorded live at The Alberta Rose Theatre in Portland, OR.  The special also will be available on July 17 in HD exclusively on Xbox LIVE and Sony PlayStation Network, and in SD on iTunes and Samsung Media Hub.  Pre-order will be available on iTunes on July 9.

Leading up to the on-air premiere, the COMEDY CENTRAL Stand-Up Web site will feature preview clips from the special, as well as exclusive clips featured on the DVD.

Braunger's television credits include a recurring role on NBC's "Up All Night," a series regular role on "MADtv," and various roles on "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien," "The Late Show with David Letterman," "United States of Tara," "Pushing Daisies," "Carpoolers," "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson," "Acceptable TV," and COMEDY CENTRAL's "Live At Gotham."  He is also a regular guest on the "Chelsea Lately" roundtable.  In 2009, Braunger was named to Variety's "Top 10 Comics to Watch" and COMEDY CENTRAL's "Hot 9 in '09" lists, and his debut album "Soak Up The Night" was released by COMEDY CENTRAL Records and named to the iTunes REWIND "Top 20 Albums of 2009" list.  His episode of "COMEDY CENTRAL Presents" aired in 2010.

Along with touring comedy clubs across the country, Braunger is a regular at the Upright Citizens Brigade in Los Angeles.  He also has performed at a variety of prestigious comedy festivals, including the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal and Chicago, The TBS Comedy Festival Las Vegas, and SXSW.  In addition, Braunger won the 2008 "Best Of The Fest" at the inaugural Rooftop Comedy Festival in Aspen and co-founded the popular Bridgetown Comedy Festival, which takes place annually in Portland.

"Matt Braunger: Shovel Fighter" is executive produced by Braunger, John Irwin, and Kara Baker, and directed by Michael Dimich.  Anne Harris is the Executive in Charge of Production for COMEDY CENTRAL.

COMEDY CENTRAL is the premier destination for the biggest names in stand-up and the most promising new talent. Recent COMEDY CENTRAL Stand-Up original one-hour specials include "Hannibal Buress: Animal Furnace," "Paul F. Tompkins: Laboring Under Delusions," "Jo Koy: Lights Out," "JB Smoove: That's How I Dooze It," and "John Mulaney: New In Town." Recently the network has aired specials from Reggie Watts, Tracy Morgan, Patton Oswalt, Ralphie May, Nick Cannon, Kevin Hart, Tom Papa, Carlos Mencia, Donald Glover, T.J. Miller, Craig Ferguson and Jeff Dunham. For preview clips, trailers, and other behind-the-scenes content, visit www.cc.com/stand-up, the COMEDY CENTRAL Stand-Up Facebook page, and follow COMEDY CENTRAL Stand-Up on Twitter @ccstandup.

SOURCE COMEDY CENTRAL Corporate Communications