USA GETS ITS LEAD MAN FOR CANADIAN SECRET SERVICE PILOT UNDERFUNDED

LOS ANGELES, CA - January 12, 2006 - USA Network announced today that Mather Zickel ("Reno 911!," "Gilda Radner: It's Always Something") has been cast as the lead in UNDERFUNDED, the one-hour pilot from the writing team of David Breckman ("Monk," "Saturday Night Live") & Ross Abrash ("The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson," Real Time with Bill Maher"). Bringing on Zickel for this pivotal role lifts the project's cast contingency, while the search continues for several other key roles. The announcement was made by Jeff Wachtel, USA's executive vice president, original programming.

"We're thrilled to have 'recruited' Mather Zickel for this role. His comedic sensibility is a perfect fit for the character David and Ross created," said Wachtel. "This show will make Mather Zickel a household name, if it isn't already."

Scheduled to begin production February 6 in Vancouver, Canada, John Fortenberry ("Arrested Development," "Everybody Loves Raymond") is set to direct. Breckman and Abrash serve as co-executive producers, with Ric Kellard ("Maximum Bob") executive producing. UNDERFUNDED is produced by NBC Universal Television Studio.

UNDERFUNDED stars Zickel as Darryl Freehorn, star agent for the little-known Canadian Secret Service. His brilliance in the field compensates for the woefully underfunded agency's lack of resources, both high- and low-tech. As Freehorn goes about his duties, the constant indignities he faces as a result of his agency's inadequate budget causes him much frustration with comedic results.

USA Network is cable television's leading provider of original series and feature movies, sports events, off-net television shows, and blockbuster theatrical films. USA Network is seen in over 89 million U.S. homes. The USA Network Web site is located at www.usanetwork.com. USA Network is a program service of NBC Universal Cable a division of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.