USA NETWORK ANNOUNCES GROUND BREAKING UNSCRIPTED HOLIDAY MOVIE THE GREAT AMERICAN CHRISTMAS

USA NETWORK ANNOUNCES GROUNDBREAKING UNSCRIPTED HOLIDAY MOVIE THE GREAT AMERICAN CHRISTMAS

LOS ANGELES, CA - January 12, 2006 - There's no place like home for the holidays -- for better or worse. USA Network announced today THE GREAT AMERICAN CHRISTMAS, an unorthodox unscripted holiday movie from executive producers Gary Auerbach and Julie Auerbach, the creative minds behind MTV's breakout series "Laguna Beach." A USA original, THE GREAT AMERICAN CHRISTMAS takes a poignant, sometimes irreverent, look at holiday highs and lows through the eyes of six very different -- but equally dysfunctional -- families. Currently in post-production after shooting this past holiday season, the special will air in December 2006. The announcement was made today by Jeff Wachtel, USA's executive vice president, original programming.

THE GREAT AMERICAN CHRISTMAS is a break-through collaboration from USA's alternative and longform teams. Executive produced by Gary and Julie Auerbach, THE GREAT AMERICAN CHRISTMAS will showcase the same rich look, style, music, casting and storytelling that the Auerbachs famously achieved on their inventive MTV hit series, "Laguna Beach."

"We are thrilled to be working on this unique project with Gary and Julie," said Wachtel. "Their shows look great, advance the medium and deliver big audiences."

Scripted holiday movies are a longstanding television tradition, but no script can capture the magic, the expectations and the stress of the real thing. The families in THE GREAT AMERICAN CHRISTMAS embody a truly unforgettable, often funny and moving holiday portrait to which all viewers can relate in one way or another. Each family's storyline is unique. Though they hail from various parts of the country and come from diverse backgrounds, they share the same hopes, dreams and anxieties that are a byproduct of the holidays. The featured families, including the Schullers of Orange County's Crystal Cathedral, were recently filmed on location celebrating the holidays in various cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago and Park City, UT.

THE GREAT AMERICAN CHRISTMAS is produced by NBC Universal Television Studio and Go Go Luckey Productions with Gary Auerbach serving as executive producer and Julie Auerbach as co-executive producer. The project was developed by Optomen Productions.

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 http://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.