or


[03/07/11 - 08:13 AM]
"The Comedy Awards" To Honor Legendary Comedian and Talk Show Host Johnny Carson With the Formation of the "Johnny Carson Award For Comedic Excellence"
The first recipient of this prestigious award will be named in the coming weeks.

[via press release from Comedy Central]

"The Comedy Awards" To Honor Legendary Comedian and Talk Show Host Johnny Carson With the Formation of the "Johnny Carson Award For Comedic Excellence"

Annual award to be event's highest honor

Awards To Be Presented During "The Comedy Awards" Airing Sunday, April 10 Across Multiple MTV Networks Including Comedy Central, Spike TV, VH1, CMT, TV Land, Logo And Nick At Nite

NEW YORK, March 7, 2011 -- "The Comedy Awards," the first-ever multi-network, multi-platform, annual event dedicated to honoring and celebrating the world of comedy, has unveiled the "Johnny Carson Award For Comedic Excellence." This prestigious award will be presented annually in honor of the legendary comedian and talk show host to an individual who embodies the comedic excellence of the renowned and beloved comedic powerhouse.

"Johnny Carson is one of the biggest legends not only in comedy, but all of entertainment," said Casey Patterson, executive producer and executive vice president event production, MTV Networks Entertainment Group. "Having this award as part of our show sets the precedent of the premiere film, television and comedic talent that 'The Comedy Awards' will honor each year and is fitting with Johnny's legacy and love of the comedy community."

Johnny Carson, whose career earned him the title the "King of Late Night," was the host of NBC's "The Tonight Show" for nearly thirty years. After serving in the Navy during World War II, Carson got his start in entertainment at a local news station in his home state of Nebraska. He then moved to Los Angeles and worked as an announcer at KNXT-TV where he quickly got his own show, "Carson's Cellar," a comedic take on the day's news. Carson was then hired as a comedy writer by Red Skelton and filled in for him on live television when Skelton was injured in rehearsals. He moved on to "The Johnny Carson Show" on CBS, hosted the ABC quiz show "Who Do You Trust?" with Ed McMahon and became the host of "The Tonight Show" in 1962. Carson became a beloved comedic icon and a welcome guest in the homes of Americans across the country.

The inaugural Johnny Carson Award will be presented to an individual whose groundbreaking body of work, like Johnny Carson's, has made an extraordinary contribution to the art of comedy, whose impact and innovations have changed the comedy landscape and inspired future generations of entertainers. The recipient's work reflects Mr. Carson's generous pioneering spirit and love of laughter.

The "Johnny Carson Award For Comedic Excellence" will be presented during "The Comedy Awards" telecast on April 10. The first recipient of this prestigious award will be named in the coming weeks.

COMEDY CENTRAL, the only all-comedy network, currently is seen in more than 95 million homes nationwide. COMEDY CENTRAL is owned by, and is a registered trademark of, Comedy Partners, a wholly-owned division of Viacom Inc.'s (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B) MTV Networks. COMEDY CENTRAL's Internet address is www.comedycentral.com.

MTV Networks, a division of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of entertainment content, with brands that engage and connect diverse audiences across television, online, mobile, games, virtual worlds and consumer products. The company's portfolio spans more than 150 television channels and 400 digital media properties worldwide, and includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Nick Jr., TeenNick, AddictingGames, Shockwave, Neopets, COMEDY CENTRAL, SPIKE, TV Land, Atom, and GameTrailers.





  [march 2011]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
  


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





[05/20/26 - 12:02 PM]
"A Woman of Substance": Brenda Blethyn Limited Series Marks BritBox's Next Prestige Period Drama
Other June premieres include new seasons of "Beyond Paradise" and "Trigger Point."

[05/20/26 - 11:01 AM]
Video: HBO Releases Official Trailer for Original Film "Miss You, Love You," Debuting May 29
A blunt, grieving widow, Diane Patterson (Allison Janney) is forced to plan her husband's funeral with a total stranger: her estranged son's assistant, Jamie Simms (Andrew Rannells).

[05/20/26 - 11:01 AM]
Great American Media Announces New Original, Unscripted Series, "Mark vs. The Mountain," Premiering June 11 on Great American Pure Flix
Meteorologist and former New Mexico gubernatorial candidate Mark Ronchetti, alongside his wife, interior designer, Krysty Ronchetti, star in the new unscripted series.

[05/20/26 - 11:00 AM]
FOX Entertainment Studios Strikes Multi-Year, First-Look Deal with Emmy Award-Winning Comedian, Actor and Producer JB Smoove
Under the partnership, Smoove will serve as executive producer and creative collaborator on an unscripted slate spanning a range of formats and genres.

[05/20/26 - 10:50 AM]
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Emmy-Nominated Docuseries, "Raise The Flags", Makes Its Linear Premiere on NFL Network May 25-29
The series delivers a sweeping portrait of the Buccaneers organization - chronicling its rise from humble beginnings to championship glory in the most comprehensive account of franchise history ever produced.

[05/20/26 - 10:01 AM]
Video: "Michael Jackson: The Verdict" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Told by key players who were inside the courtroom, this three-part comprehensive docuseries dissects the trial of Michael Jackson and his complex legacy.

[05/20/26 - 10:01 AM]
Video: MGM+ Debuts Teaser for "The Westies"
The gritty and kinetic crime drama centers on New York City's infamously violent Irish gang of the same name.

[05/20/26 - 10:00 AM]
Lifetime Greenlights Two New Thrillers for This June
Amber Stevens West and Michael Xavier star in "The Jealous Bride" while Remy Ma leads "Don't Trust the Girls Upstairs."

[05/20/26 - 09:31 AM]
Video: Peacock Releases Official Trailer, Key Art and New Imagery for "Strung"
From director Malcolm D. Lee, a talented violinist takes a prestigious job as a music tutor for the gifted daughter of an influential and enigmatic family.

[05/20/26 - 09:31 AM]
Hit Drama Series "The Testaments" from Creator Bruce Miller and Starring Chase Infiniti, Renewed for a Second Season
Season one is now streaming with the season finale on Wednesday, May 27.

[05/20/26 - 09:01 AM]
A24's "Pillion" Begins Streaming Exclusively on HBO Max June 5
A timid man is swept off his feet when an enigmatic, impossibly handsome biker takes him on as his submissive.

[05/20/26 - 09:01 AM]
AMC Global Media's June Highlights Include "The Vampire Lestat," "You're Killing Me," "Devil in Silver," "Doctor Who" and More
Newly announced premieres include ALLBLK's "Funny Thing About Love" and BBC America's "Wild Spring."

[05/20/26 - 09:00 AM]
The History Channel's Hit Survival Series "Alone" Is Going Global! New Season Premieres June 17
On the heels of the World Cup and for the first time in franchise history, 10 skilled survivalists from around the globe will compete in "Alone: World Championship".

[05/20/26 - 09:00 AM]
Laura Benanti and Tituss Burgess to Host "The Tony Awards: Act One"
The two stage-and-screen icons will kick off Broadway's biggest night with the presentation of the first round of Tony Awards during the exciting pre-show telecast.

[05/20/26 - 07:36 AM]
After Record-Setting 2025 Season, "Sunday Night Football" Finishes Fall-Spring TV Season as Primetime's No. 1 Show for Unprecedented 15th Consecutive Year
The series averaged 23.5 million viewers in 2025, marking the show's best-ever viewership - up nearly 1 million viewers from the prior record for the series set a decade ago (22.6 million in 2015 season) and an increase of 9% over the '24 season (21.6 million).