Take Cover, They're Gonna Hurl! PUNKIN CHUNKIN Returns This Thanksgiving to Discovery and SCIENCE

SILVER SPRING, Md., Oct. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Pumpkins become projectiles once again with the return of PUNKIN CHUNKIN, the annual special that's becoming as much as part of Thanksgiving tradition as turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce.  The thrilling competition where "man meets machine meets mayhem" prepares for launch on Thanksgiving night, Thursday, November 24 at 8:00 PM (ET/PT) as a simulcast on Discovery Channel and SCIENCE.

For those unfamiliar, PUNKIN CHUNKIN is an annual extravaganza where teams (and more than 30 thousand fans) gather in a Delaware cornfield to see whose homemade contraption can propel a pumpkin the farthest. This year's event takes viewers behind the firing line, getting up close and personal with the explosive contraptions and personalities that make PUNKIN CHUNKIN define "gourd glory." No strangers to explosions of all sorts, MYTHBUSTERS' Kari Byron, Grant Imahara, and Tory Belleci join as hosts of PUNKIN CHUNKIN, going inside the madness to uncover the singular subcultures of these passionate participants. Now in its 26th year of competition, PUNKIN CHUNKIN has become a pop culture phenomenon, inspiring countless backyard warriors looking to recreate the wacky rituals that make up this autumnal event.

"It's the enthusiasm and fearless imaginations of these crazy geniuses that make 'The Chunk' an American tradition and a Thanksgiving mainstay," said Debbie Myers, General Manager and Executive Vice President for SCIENCE. "The competition embodies the spirit of SCIENCE like no other, and we're proud to showcase PUNKIN CHUNKIN as our premiere annual SCI SPORTS event."

"Kari, Grant and Tory see their fair share of explosions on the set of MYTHBUSTERS, but nothing compares to the action front row at PUNKIN CHUNKIN," said Clark Bunting, President and General Manager of Discovery Channel. "It's incredibly entertaining to watch everyday people attempt to launch pumpkins across a mile-long corn field."  

The World Championship Punkin Chunkin Association (WCPCA) hosts the PUNKIN CHUNKIN event annually in Sussex County Delaware to benefit a number of charitable organizations including St. Jude's Children's Hospital. SCIENCE and Discovery film the competition for air every Thanksgiving, showcasing the backyard 'engi-nerds' and basement tinkerers who work year-round fine-tuning the next champion chunker.

The competition is divided into categories defined by the type of machine used; such as air cannons, centrifuges, and colossal catapults. This year continues the chase for the never-before-accomplished feat of launching a pumpkin one full mile. The 2010 Chunk marked the first year in WCPCA history that an all-female team – aptly named "Hormone Blaster" – took home the top trophy. This year promises even more intense, nail-biting excitement as 2009 champions "Big 10 Inch" attempt to dethrone the lady chunkers with other hungry teams at their heels.

PUNKIN CHUNKIN is produced by Sharp Entertainment. Matt Sharp is executive producer for Sharp Entertainment. For SCIENCE, Josh Berkley is executive producer and Bernadette McDaid is vice president of production.

About The WCPCA

WCPCA is a non-profit association started in 1986 that benefits the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and Childhelp® organizations.  Since 1986, Sussex County, Delaware has been home to the annual Punkin Chunkin World Championships—a three-day festival where hardcore engineers and backyard tinkerers trailer their gigantic, homebuilt contraptions with one common goal: to launch eight to ten pound pumpkins as far as mechanically possible.  The competition is divided into seven categories defined by the type of machine used—motorized, centrifugal spinners, and the mighty air cannons.  Bringing the sport of pumpkin hurling to ever greater distances of chunkin, the heated competitions have created a current world record of 4,483 feet, approximately 800 feet short of a mile.  Could this be the year that one team hits the coveted one-mile mark and is crowned the greatest chunker ever?

About Discovery Channel

Discovery Channel is dedicated to creating the highest quality non-fiction content that informs and entertains its consumers about the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. The network, which is distributed to 100.8 million U.S. homes, can be seen in 210 countries and territories, offering a signature mix of compelling, high-end production values and vivid cinematography across genres including, science and technology, exploration, adventure, history and in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the people, places and organizations that shape and share our world. For more information, please visit www.discovery.com.

About SCIENCE:

SCIENCE, a division of Discovery Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), is home for the thought provocateur, the individual who is unafraid to ask the killer questions of "how" and "why not."  The network is a playground for those with audacious intellects and features programming willing to go beyond imagination to explore the unknown.  Guided by curiosity, SCIENCE looks for innovation in mysterious new worlds as well as in its own backyard.  SCIENCE and the SCIENCE HD simulcast reach more than 68 million U.S. households.  The network also features high-traffic online and social media destinations, including ScienceChannel.com, facebook.com/ScienceChannel and twitter.com/ScienceChannel.

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SOURCE SCIENCE; Discovery Channel