Jack Black to Host '2006 MTV Video Music Awards' Live From New York City on Thursday, August 31st at 8:00pm ET/PT

NEW YORK, Aug. 10 -- Christina Norman, President, MTV, today announced that Jack Black will host the "2006 MTV Video Music Awards" airing live from New York's Radio City Music Hall on Thursday, August 31st at 8:00pm ET/PT. It was previously announced that Beyonce, Panic! at the Disco, T.I. The Killers, Ludacris, and Justin Timberlake are confirmed to perform at the star studded awards show. More performers and presenters will be announced shortly.

"Jack Black is the perfect mix of comedy, rock, irreverence, and star-power that will set the tone for an amazing show," said Ms. Norman. "His love of music and impeccable comic timing will rock the VMAs, NYC, and the entire world on August 31st."

"My plan is to bring the thunder," said Black. "I've got my top men working on it as we speak in my thunder laboratory. Radio City Music Hall will never be the same."

Black and Kyle Gass together form Tenacious D, the self-proclaimed "Greatest Band on Earth." They are getting ready to release their first feature film, "Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny," for New Line Cinema on Friday, November 17th . The soundtrack will be released on Tuesday, November 14th on Epic Records. Tenacious D's first album, the self-titled Tenacious D, was released in 2001 and was certified Platinum in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.

Black most recently starred in the summer box office comedy hit NACHO LIBRE. Black has also starred in such films as KING KONG, SCHOOL OF ROCK, SHARK TALE and HIGH FIDELITY.

The 2006 VMAs will be a multi-platform, multi-screen experience. For the first time ever in awards show history, MTV will expose fans to the insanity on and off the stage. While the VMAs are airing live on MTV, Overdrive, the network's broadband channel, will air "VMA Live: Backstage Uncensored," an unprecedented live view of the ALL the action behind the scenes and backstage viewers have never gotten to see. In addition to the television and broadband experiences, MTV Mobile on all wireless carriers will also offer updates and recaps of the VMAs within minutes. Also, prior to the show, viewers will have access to all nominated videos on MTV Overdrive (http://www.vma.mtv.com ). Salli Frattini and Dave Sirulnick are the Executive Producers for the "2006 MTV Video Music Awards." Ian Stewart and Summer Strauch are Producers. Hamish Hamilton is Producer/Director. Kathy Flynn is Event Producer.

The "2006 MTV Video Music Awards" will be available to a potential viewing audience of more than 1.3 billion people via MTV's global network of 50 channels reaching 481.5 million households around the world as well as through syndication. Its convergent and original online programming will reach the entire interactive community, via MTV's 44 Web sites around the world.

The official sponsors of the "2006 MTV Video Music Awards" are Acuvue, Chevrolet, Dodge, Herbal Essences, JCPenney, Pepsi, Taco Bell and Virgin Mobile USA.

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with more than 100 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, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, 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 95 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 MTV
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