or


[01/03/06 - 12:00 AM]
Insanity Erupts Again as Anti-Game Show "Distraction" Returns for Its Second Season January 10 at 10:00 P.M. on Comedy Central

[via press release from Comedy Central]

Insanity Erupts Again As Anti-Game Show "Distraction" Returns For Its Second Season January 10 At 10:00 P.M. On COMEDY CENTRAL

British Comedian Jimmy Carr Returns To Host New Season With All New Narcissists And Masochists As Contestants

NEW YORK, January 3, 2006 -- Are there people who will risk utter personal humiliation and suffer horrible acts of pain just to be on a television game show? Sure, you say, but what about televised pain that includes pecking geese and attacking giant wrestlers? O.K., but permanent scarring and electrocution, too? Of course there are and all for the entertainment of COMEDY CENTRAL viewers!

From the unconventional game show that first introduced "pee buzzers" to American audiences, British comedian sensation Jimmy Carr returns to host season two of "Distraction" on COMEDY CENTRAL premiering January 10 at 10:00 p.m. Carr's irreverent and sardonic set-up of each trivia question and distracting challenge does not make it any easier for the four hapless contestants on each episode.

Produced by FremantleMedia North America ("American Idol," "How Clean Is Your House?"), this outrageous, laugh-out-loud show turns the game show format upside down and revolves around Carr's sharp, dry wit and his brash dealings with contestants. Based on FremantleMedia's British show of the same name, "Distraction" demands the ultimate in physical and mental endurance from its contestants. The show pitches four rivals in a battle of wits to answer general knowledge questions while being "distracted" by a series of challenges, aimed at throwing them off course.

"The utter insanity of this 'anti-game show' and the hilarity of Jimmy Carr proved popular with our viewers in the first season," said Lauren Corrao, executive vice president, original programming and development, COMEDY CENTRAL. "The new challenges that 'Distraction' has in store for its victims, or contestants rather, are so ludicrous that we can't wait to air the new season and give the game show format another run for its money."

New distractions for the second season include: Tattoo -- tattoo artists administer fresh tattoos while contestants try to concentrate on answering questions; Blinking Electrocution -- contestants receive an electric shock every time they blink as they attempt to answer questions; Geese Peck -- contestants must answer questions while lying down in a pen, covered with feed, as geese eat off their bodies; and Catapult -- a small catapult throws a bevy of items such as eggs, pies and rice into the contestants' faces each time they buzz in to answer a question.

First season "distractions" that will make an encore include: Clothes Pins -- contestants must attach as many clothespins on their face as possible during a speed round of questions; Wrestlers -- huge wrestlers body slam and throw contestants around while they are asked and answer a variety of questions; and Hot Shots -- contestants must down a shot of hot sauce before they can answer each question.

Carr, the current host of "Distraction" in the UK, is a frequent performer at the Montreal Just For Laughs Festival and the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival. He has also appeared on such shows as "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and "Late Night with Conan O'Brien."

"Distraction" is executive produced by Michael Dugan, whose credits include COMEDY CENTRAL's "Trigger Happy TV," the game show "Smush" for USA Network and "Apt. 2F" for MTV. Zoe Friedman and Scott Landsman serve as executives in charge of production for COMEDY CENTRAL.

FremantleMedia North America (FMNA) is on the leading edge of global broadcast production, developing some of television's most innovative and watched new programming. Based in Santa Monica and with offices in New York, FMNA has produced such genre-bending shows as the musical/reality phenomenon "American Idol" (Fox), which received five Emmy nominations in 2003, and the hotly debated reality series "The Swan" (Fox). Other credits include "The Price Is Right" (CBS), the longest-running game show in television history, the daily syndicated game show "Family Feud" and the breakout hit lifestyle show "How Clean Is Your House?" (Lifetime).





  [january 2006]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S


· AMERICAN IDOL (ABC)
· DISTRACTION (COMEDY CENTRAL)
· FAMILY FEUD (SYNDICATION)
· HOW CLEAN IS YOUR HOUSE? (LIFETIME)
· SWAN, THE (FOX)
· TRIGGER HAPPY TV (COMEDY CENTRAL)





[10/24/25 - 02:30 PM]
Video: First Look at Upcoming New Drama "Memory of a Killer" Starring Patrick Dempsey and Michael Imperioli - Premiering This January on FOX
Dempsey stars as a hitman, Angelo Doyle, leading a dangerous double life while hiding an even deadlier personal secret - he has developed early onset Alzheimer's.

[10/24/25 - 02:02 PM]
"20/20" Is Friday's Most-Watched Newsmagazine Across the Board
In addition, "20/20" posted its best Adults 25-54 in more than four months.

[10/24/25 - 02:01 PM]
ABC News' "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 Across the Board, Leading NBC in All Key Demos for the 4th Straight Week
"Nightline" grew year to year across the board: Total Viewers, Adults 25-54, and Adults 18-49.

[10/24/25 - 01:05 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Makes Television History - Rising for Fifth Straight Week
The October 21 episode scored 6.63 million Total Viewers and a 1.38 rating among Adults 18-49, hitting new season highs in both demographics.

[10/24/25 - 08:01 AM]
Netflix Announces "Hollywood Arts," A Brand-New Spinoff of Hit Live-Action, "Victorious," with Daniella Monet Returning as Star and Executive Producer
The series is set to debut on Netflix in 2026, followed by releases on Nickelodeon and Paramount+.

[10/24/25 - 07:14 AM]
FOX Sports Readies for Major League Baseball's 121st World Series Presented by Capital One
Action leads off Friday, October 24, between the National League and current reigning World champion Los Angeles Dodgers and American League champion Toronto Blue Jays from Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada, on FOX, FOX Deportes, the FOX Sports App and FOX One.

[10/24/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "Love Is Blind" Season 9: The Reunion - Official Trailer - Netflix
Denver singles shake up their search for "the one" and step into the pods, braving twists, turns and love triangles to find their soulmate sight unseen.

[10/24/25 - 07:01 AM]
Experience the Family, the Fun, and the Fantastic! Marvel Studios' "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" Lands Exclusively on Disney+ November 5
Continuing the celebration of Marvel's First Family, the announcement was made live from SpaceCon 2025 in San Antonio, where The Fantastic Four: First Steps Immersive Pop-Up Experience invites attendees to step inside the iconic Baxter Building.

[10/24/25 - 06:00 AM]
The CW Network and Xfinity Celebrate 11 Years of the NASCAR Xfinity Series by Presenting the Third Stage of the Championship Race Commercial-Free
Taking place in Phoenix, Arizona, on Saturday, November 1, the commercial-free stage presented by Xfinity was created to thank the loyal race fans who have supported the NASCAR Xfinity Series for more than a decade - helping the series grow through their unwavering enthusiasm, increased viewership, and continued trackside attendance.

[10/23/25 - 05:01 PM]
Video: "As You Stood By" - Official Trailer - Netflix
When two women plot to end an abusive marriage through murder, an unexpected visitor arrives - threatening to shatter everything they've carefully planned.

[10/23/25 - 02:33 PM]
Largest Audience for "NBA Tip-Off" Doubleheader Since 2010 as NBA Returned to NBC and Debuted on Peacock
Tuesday night's audience across NBC and Peacock peaked at 7.1 million viewers from 10:45-11 p.m. ET as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder to a one-point win over the Houston Rockets in double overtime.

[10/23/25 - 02:28 PM]
The 305 Just Got Hotter: "Love & Hip Hop: Miami" Moves to BET Season 7 Premieres Tuesday, November 4 at 8 PM ET/PT
The upcoming seventh season dives deeper than ever into Miami's thriving entertainment scene, following a cast of stars who are rebuilding, rebranding, and redefining success in real time.

[10/23/25 - 01:30 PM]
Critically Acclaimed Noir Thriller, "Dark Winds," to Return to AMC and AMC+ Sunday, February 15
The series' gripping fourth season focuses on the search for a missing Navajo girl, which takes Leaphorn, Chee and Manuelito from the safety of Navajo Nation to the gritty terrain of 1970s Los Angeles in a race against the clock to save her from an obsessive killer with ties to organized crime.

[10/23/25 - 12:01 PM]
Video: BET+ Releases Trailer for Horror Film "A Demon's Revenge"
In the film, following the bloodshed in Belize, Peaches, played by Jhoné Lucas, delves deeper into Caribbean folklore and the terrifying truth that lurks beneath.

[10/23/25 - 12:00 PM]
FOX Entertainment Acquires Equity Stake in Chain, Forging Strategic Partnership with Experiential Food Phenomenon Co-Founded by B.J. Novak
Included in the investment is a first look development deal through Chain Media.