COMEDY CENTRAL(R) And Twitter Join Forces To Launch #ComedyFest The First-ever Celebration Of Comedy And Comedians To Be Programmed On Twitter April 29 - May 3

NEW YORK, April 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- COMEDY CENTRAL, the #1 brand in comedy, and Twitter announced today the launch of #ComedyFest, the first-ever celebration of comedy and comedians to be programmed on Twitter.  The five day festival, which runs from April 29-May 3, kicks off with comedic icon Mel Brooks setting up a Twitter account at an event at LA's Paley Center featuring comedy legend Carl Reiner and moderator Judd Apatow.  The event will be live-streamed in Mr. Brooks' first tweet, and can also be viewed on CC.com. #ComedyFest will feature an all-star roster of comedic talent including 16 programmed events with more than 50 comedians. #ComedyFest will bring the COMEDY CENTRAL audience – and everyone who likes to laugh – closer to the biggest comedic talents across genres and generations.

"Twitter has become an essential medium for comedy and comedians," said Michele Ganeless, President, COMEDY CENTRAL. "#ComedyFest will exist in the twittersphere – creating comedy that lives on social media.  It's a great extension for our brand; it's where our audience lives."

Using only 124 characters, Fred Graver, Head of TV at Twitter, said, "Awesome to have @ComedyCentral on-air and on Twitter celebrating comedians and the rise of 140 character comedy. Please RT."

#ComedyFest events will live on Twitter, and fans can follow at @ComedyCentral and #ComedyFest for up-to-the-minute event coverage.  Additional information including festival lineup can be viewed at CC.com, CC Tumblr, and on the CC Facebook page.  

#COMEDYFEST EVENT LINEUP
#ComedyFest lineup subject to change - additional talent and events to be announced.

Monday, April 29

5:00 p.m.       Mel Brooks Joins Twitter

With the help of Carl Reiner and moderator Judd Apatow, and in front of a live audience, the legendary Mel Brooks will join Twitter, answer questions and discuss his life and work. Watch the livestream on Twitter!
Talent: Carl Reiner @carlreiner, Judd Apatow @juddapatow, Mel Brooks @melbrooks

11:00 p.m.     Ben Hoffman Tweets on Ambien

Ben Hoffman will take you inside the medication-addled mind of... Ben Hoffman, as he live tweets himself on Ambien. You're going to want to tune in, because most likely you're going to need to take over for him at some point. Seriously. 
Talent: Ben Hoffman @thebenshow

Tuesday, April 30

1:00 p.m.      I Figured Out the Internet: Secrets of My Twitter Success

In this half-panel, half-discussion, some of Twitter's funniest, most-loved celebrities meet like some sort of bizarre Avengers to talk about what it's like to be big on Twitter. 
Talent:  Moderator: Jake Fogelnest @jakefogelnest; Amber Earnest @rare_basement, Shelby Fero @shelbyfero, Julieanne Smolinski @boobsradley, Ted Travelstead @trumpetcake

6:00 p.m.      Vine Dining with Steve Agee

You might say it's impossible to tell a compelling story in six seconds, but these comedians will prove otherwise. Join Steve Agee as he hosts a Vine party with contributions from his Vine friends. 
Talent: Steve Agee @steveagee, James Urbaniak @jamesurbaniak, Marlo Meekins @marlomeekins

9:00 p.m.      What's Newsing?

Working from the weirdest and most relevant headlines of the day, some of the hottest comedians on Twitter will come up with tweets about them. You may not become more informed, but you will laugh. 
Talent: Moderators Jared Logan @jaredlogan & Matt Braunger @braunger and Al Jackson @aljaxn

10:30 p.m.    Tweeting All Up Inside Amy Schumer

During the premiere of the new COMEDY CENTRAL series "Inside Amy Schumer", Amy Schumer herself will be livetweeting--giving you the inside scoop, telling you things that went right and wrong during shooting, and more!
Talent: Amy Schumer @amyschumer

Wednesday, May 1

12:30 p.m.    The Comedy Directors of Comedy: A Panel

This panel gathers some of the best comedy directors out there--Paul Feig, Lance Bangs, Neal Brennan, and more--and gets them to discuss the ins and outs of directing comedy successfully. 
Talent: Moderator: TBD, Jordan Vogt-Roberts @vogtroberts, Lance Bangs @lancebangs, Rob Schrab @robschrab, Paul Feig @paulfeig, Neil Brennan @nealbrennan

2:45 p.m.      Reno 911! Movie! Reunion!

Stars Tom Lennon and Kerri Kenney-Silver livetweet their opus, "Reno 911!: Miami", with the help of Kumail Nanjiani. Watch the movie with them and get lots of behind-the-scenes stories.
Talent: Tom Lennon @thomaslennon, Kerri Kenney-Silver @kerrikenney 
Moderator: Michael Ian Black @michaelianblack

4:00 p.m.      The Comedy Central "Half Hour" Daytime Drinking Game

17 comedians, who recorded episodes of "The Half Hour" with COMEDY CENTRAL, have gathered all in one place: Twitter. For a half hour, while a sneak peek of their specials are being broadcast, they'll participate in a massive daytime drinking game. 
Talent: Erik Griffin @erikgriffin, Jonah Ray @jonahray, Sean Patton @mrseanpatton, Sean O'Connor @seanoconnz, Baron Vaughn @barvonblaq, Dan Soder @dansoder, Nikki Glaser @nikkiglaser, Lil Rel Howery @lilrel4, Gabe Liedman @gabeliedman, Mike Lawrence @themikelawrence, Andy Haynes @imandyhaynes, Ben Kronberg @benkronberg, Dan St. Germain @dsgermain, Jared Logan @jaredlogan, Joe DeRosa @joederosacomedy, Cristela Alonzo @cristela9, Brody Stevens @brodyismefriend

Thursday, May 2

2:00 p.m.      Encino Man Livetweet with Doug Benson

Doug Benson, king of movies, livetweets one of the most important movies of our time: "Encino Man." 
Talent: Doug Benson @dougbenson

6:00 p.m.      Writers' Room: A Panel

Comedians aren't just doing stand-up, they're also writing some of the TV shows you love. #ComedyFest has gathered a few of them for this show about what it's like to be in a writer's room, how they do both stand-up and TV writing, and more! 
Talent: Moshe Kasher @moshekasher, Dominic Dierkes @dominicdierkes, Sean O'Connor @seanoconnz, Megan Ganz @meganganz, Mike Drucker @mikedrucker, Jess Dweck @thedweck and Albertina Rizzo @albz

9:00 p.m.      What's Newsing?

A second edition of What's Newsing, because apparently the news changes from day to day
Talent: Jared Logan @jaredlogan and Al Jackson @aljaxn

10:00 p.m.    Roast Me with Jeffrey Ross

Roast Master Jeffrey Ross unleashes his infamous insult comedy on a few lucky (and willing!) Twitter users. @ComedyCentral will invite brave souls to submit their profiles for Ross to get familiar with and then rip to shreds during this hilarious event.
Talent: Jeffrey Ross @realjeffreyross

Friday, May 3

11:00 a.m.    Al Madrigal: Behind the Stand-Up

Remember Pop Up Video? Now you can experience it on Twitter when Al Madrigal, along with a friend, livetweets his hour long special, "Why is the Rabbit Crying?" Madrigal gives fans an inside look into the mind of a comedian. How did he get started? What bizarre shows has he done along the way? Find out! 
Talent: Al Madrigal @almadrigal and Steve Rannazzisi @steverannazzisi

5:30 p.m.      Road Warriors

Comedians spend a lot of their time touring, and they've amassed a ton of weird stories about touring. Join these comics--some of whom will be on the road that day--for a discussion of the ins and outs of being a touring comic. 
Talent: Brendon Walsh @brendonwalsh, Tommy Johnagin @tommyjohnagin, Matt Braunger @braunger, Hannibal Buress @hannibalburess, Eugene Mirman @eugenmirman

12:00 a.m.    Nikki & Dan: Behind the Stand-Up

Remember Pop Up Video? Now you can watch it on Twitter when Nikki Glaser and Dan Soder livetweet the premiere of their COMEDY CENTRAL "The Half Hour," and give you an inside look into the mind of a comedian. How did they get started? What bizarre shows have they done along the way? Find out! 
Talent: Dan Soder @dansoder, Nikki Glaser @nikkiglaser

SOURCE COMEDY CENTRAL Corporate Communications