Reality TV Just Got a Whole Lot ... Realer! Michael Ian Black Hosts the All-New Series 'Reality Bites Back' Premiering Thursday, July 17 at 10:30 p.m. on COMEDY CENTRAL(R)

Reality TV Just Got a Whole Lot ... Realer! Michael Ian Black Hosts the All-New Series 'Reality Bites Back' Premiering Thursday, July 17 at 10:30 p.m. on COMEDY CENTRAL(R)

Comedian Contestants Include Kyle Cease, Chris Fairbanks, Jeff Garcia, Red Grant, Tiffany Haddish, Bert Kreischer, Mo Mandel, Donnell Rawlings, Amy Schumer and Theo Von

NEW YORK, July 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Tune-in and get ready for the ultimate Reality TV satire! COMEDY CENTRAL presents its first unscripted competition series, "Reality Bites Back," where ten comedians will vie for supremacy in weekly parodies of the most notorious reality shows around! The challenges may be absurd, but the gameplay is real and each week one unlucky comic will find him or herself booted off the program by our gleefully sadistic host, Michael Ian Black. The last one, er, "standing" will be crowned Lord of All Reality and receive a 50,000 dollar cash prize. Viewers won't want to miss the series premiere of "Reality Bites Back" Thursday, July 17 at 10:30 p.m. on COMEDY CENTRAL.

The all-new series satirizes and pokes fun at such staples of the reality genre as "American Idol," "Survivor," "The Amazing Race," "The Biggest Loser" and more. The already patriotic "American Gladiators" becomes the hyper-nationalistic "Almost-American Gladiators," in which the contestants must fight off roided-out Border Patrol Agents as they replicate the immigrant experience through physical challenges; sub-lebrity exploitation is taken to new heights as the contestants stalk and shoot down their d-list partners in "Hunting with the Stars," and, because the public loves to see amateurs fail at skills it takes years to master, the comedians are given 24 hours to become Olympians in "So You Think You Can Dive." Culled from the ranks of seasoned comedy veterans and up-and-comers across America, these stand-ups will do anything for cash and glory! No stunt or psychological game is too humiliating for this group of comic warriors. The comedians vying for the title are Kyle Cease, Chris Fairbanks, Jeff Garcia, Red Grant, Tiffany Haddish, Bert Kreischer, Mo Mandel, Donnell Rawlings, Amy Schumer and Theo Von.

"It makes total sense that the way COMEDY CENTRAL would choose to get into the reality game is by making fun of it. The nice surprise that came out of making the competition real is that viewers actually root for a winner," said Lauren Corrao, President of Original Programming and Development.

"I believe 'Reality Bites Back' will do for reality television shows what 'Alf' did for extraterrestrial puppet shows," said host Michael Ian Black.

The "Reality Bites Back" page on comedycentral.com will be the home for exclusive video surrounding the show, from uncensored outtakes, exclusive cast confessionals and interviews to a Web-only reunion show, as well as weekly blog entries from the cast. Viewers can also go online to watch a preview for the next week's episode, catch any show moments they may have missed and relive their favorite moments again and again.

Host Michael Ian Black has played a steady mix of off-beat characters on film ("Wet Hot American Summer"), television (MTV's "The State," COMEDY CENTRAL's "Stella" and "Viva Variety" -- all of which he co-created -- VH1's "I Love The 80s," NBC's "Ed") and in commercials (Sierra Mist).

"Reality Bites Back" is executive produced by JD Roth, Todd Nelson, and Adam Greener of 3Ball Productions, with co-EPs Matt Assmus and Tom Johnson. Lou Wallach and Daniel Powell serve as executives in charge of production for COMEDY CENTRAL.

COMEDY CENTRAL, the only all-comedy network, currently is seen in more than 95 million homes nationwide. COMEDY CENTRAL is owned by, and is a registered trademark of, Comedy Partners, a wholly-owned division of VIACOM Inc.'s (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:and) (NYSE:VIA.B) MTV Networks. COMEDY CENTRAL's Internet address is www.comedycentral.com. For up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs visit Press Central, COMEDY CENTRAL's press Web site at www.comedycentral.com/press.

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) , is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with more than 150 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services -- MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN/THE N, VH1 CLASSIC, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 300 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.

Source: COMEDY CENTRAL Corporate Communications

CONTACT: Jamie Lee of COMEDY CENTRAL Corporate Communications,
+1-212-767-3949, jamie.lee@comedycentral.com

Web site: http://www.comedycentral.com/
http://www.comedycentral.com/press

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Profile: International Entertainment