January 4th, 2017

CNN TO PREMIERE THE HISTORY OF COMEDY ON THURSDAY, FEB. 9, AT 10PM ET/PT

LARRY DAVID PROMO: https://youtu.be/sC46x-tu55E

New CNN Original Series Features Interviews with Comedy Icons

Norman Lear, Carol Burnett, Larry David and Betty White among others

NEW YORK – Jan. 4, 2017 – The History of Comedy, executive produced by Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner (Hazy Mills) with Emmy Award winners Mark Herzog and Christopher G. Cowen (Herzog & Company), will premiere Thursday, Feb. 9, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CNN, following a world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Using archival footage punctuated by contemporary interviews with comedy legends, scholars and current stars, the new eight-part CNN Original Series explores what makes people laugh and how comedy has affected the social and political landscape throughout history.

The History of Comedy also features interviews with Judd ApatowSarah SilvermanSenator Al FrankenMargaret ChoSamantha BeeJimmy KimmelKathy GriffinGeorge LopezKeegan-Michael Key,  Dick GregoryConan O’BrienPatton Oswalt, Dick CavettAli WongW. Kamau Bell, Marc Maron and more. The premiere episode, “Going Blue,” looks at groundbreaking comedians like George Carlin and Lenny Bruce who dared to embrace the risqué side of comedy.  Additional episodes look at women in comedy, political humor, parody and satire, comedy ripped from the headlines, the dark side of comedy, comedy in race and culture, and comedy found in everyday life.

In support of the series launch, CNN Original Series in partnership with the National Comedy Center, the first national non-profit cultural institution dedicated to comedy, will present “Stand-Up LIVE!” The showcase will feature some of today’s freshest and funniest stand-up comics and hit legendary comedy clubs in New York City, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles. Tickets can be purchased via the National Comedy Center’s website, www.comedycenter.org.

The History of Comedy will be available On Demand the day after the linear premiere on cable VOD and on CNNgo via iPad, Roku, AppleTV, Amazon Fire, and desktop at www.cnn.com/go.

About CNN Original Series

The CNN Original Series group develops non-scripted programming for television via commissioned projects, acquisitions and in-house production. Amy Entelis, executive vice president of talent and content development, oversees CNN Original Series and CNN Films for CNN Worldwide.  Lizzie Fox, vice president of current programming, supervises production of all CNN Original Series.

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