Providing comedians with the positive reinforcement they so dearly require, Viacom’s MTV Networks is launching The Comedy Awards, a new franchise that, according to a press release, hopes to be to comedy what the MTV Video Music Awards and Nickelodeon’s Kids Choice Awards are to music and pop culture at large, respectively. (So, another place for teens to scream unintelligibly while various celebrities engage in staged banter to promote their upcoming projects, we guess.) Except this one will focus squarely on “the year's best comedy films, television series and digital content,” while recognizing actors, writers, directors, and “pioneering legends”—much like The American Comedy Awards (and briefly the Commie Awards) did until 2001, when the laughter died.
Debuting on April 11, the ceremony will air simultaneously on Comedy Central, Spike TV, TV Land, VH1, and Nick At Nite (though not on MTV, which needs the room for another Teen Mom marathon), and will celebrate nominees selected by a board comprised of members like James Burrows, Billy Crystal, Will Ferrell, Whoopi Goldberg, Seth MacFarlane, Adam McKay, Jay Roach, and Ray Romano. Of course, even if you’re not Ray Romano your opinion may be considered valid, as there will also be an online voting poll still to come at the official website.
In addition to founding the awards show and giving funny people moral support, Viacom has also helped launch the American Comedy Fund to provide more tangible financial assistance and health benefits to “comedians in need,” which is to say just about all of them. We look forward to seeing commercials like this but, you know, with a guy who dreams of telling dick jokes.