"THE 3rd ANNUAL HOWIE MANDEL STAND-UP GALA" PREMIERES JANUARY 10 ON THE CW

Hosted by Howie Mandel, the All New Special Features Performances from Comedians Including Cedric the Entertainer, Cristela Alonzo, Ron Funches, and More from the Just For Laughs Festival

Also Premiering January 10, the New Comedy Special "Animal Crackers," Hosted by Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino

Digital Series "Lie Detector," Recorded at the Just For Laughs Festival, Launches January 10 on CW Seed

December 21, 2017 (Burbank, CA) - The CW Network today announced THE 3rd ANNUAL HOWIE MANDEL STAND-UP GALA, an all-new primetime comedy special, presented in partnership with Just For Laughs. Featuring stand-up performances from comedians including Cedric the Entertainer, Cristela Alonzo, Ron Funches, and more, it will premiere Wednesday, January 10, 8:00-9:30 pm ET/PT on The CW.

Recorded at the biggest comedy event in the world, the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal, and hosted by Howie Mandel, the special, now in its third year on The CW, also includes performances from Orny Adams, Gad Elmaleh, John Heffron, Martin Urbano, and Gina Yashere.

THE 3rd ANNUAL HOWIE MANDEL STAND-UP GALA will be followed by a brand new comedy special, ANIMAL CRACKERS, hosted by Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino. ANIMAL CRACKERS shows professional mascots taking their jobs a little too seriously, and surprising unsuspecting passersby in the real world with hilarious pranks. From Brian Graden Media and Smoke & Mirrors Productions, with executive producers Brian Graden, Gaurav Misra, Lois Curren, Darryl Trell, Howard Kitrosser, and Michael Kennedy.

Also launching January 10 on CW Seed, The CW's digital channel, is the new digital comedy series LIE DETECTOR, hosted by the Lucas Brothers, Kenny and Keith Lucas. Recorded at the Just For Laughs Festival, comedians are hooked up to a real lie detector, with a real technician, and asked yes or no questions that they can't joke their way out of answering. With appearances from Desus & Mero, Sasheer Zamata, Cameron Esposito, Vladimir Caamano, and many others.

ABOUT THE CW

THE CW TELEVISION NETWORK launched in 2006 as America's fifth broadcast network, with programming targeting younger viewers, a demographic highly sought after by advertisers. The CW, a joint venture between Warner Bros. Entertainment and CBS Corporation, broadcasts a five-night, 10-hour primetime lineup, Monday through Friday. The CW's primetime programming is also available to stream for free, without authentication, on the ad-supported cwtv.com and The CW app, now available on every major OTT platform. In daytime, The CW broadcasts a Monday through Friday afternoon block, and a three-hour Saturday morning kids block. The CW's digital network, CW Seed, launched in 2013, and offers original short-form digital content as well as past seasons of fan-favorite television series.

ABOUT JUST FOR LAUGHS GROUP

Just For Laughs Television is one of the leading producers of stand-up and variety programming and has produced television programs that have been seen around the world on FOX, ABC, MTV, TBS, CBC, IFC, HBO, W, BBC1, TF1, RTL, Showtime, Versus, BBC America, TEN Australia, HBO Canada, and The Comedy Network. The company has also expanded into scripted and non-variety programming with the acclaimed shows The Tournament (CBC), Deal with It (W Network), and Bullet in the Face (IFC). Just For Laughs Television is part of the Just For Laughs Group. Founded in 1983, the Just For Laughs Group's growth is concentrated on four major focal points: Festivals (in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and Sydney); television production (most notably Gags, seen in 135 countries and on 95 airlines); live shows (Canadian tour dates for Jerry Seinfeld, Jim Gaffigan, Bill Burr, Kevin Hart, North American dates for Family Guy Live!); Its inaugural Montreal Festival is over 30 years old and is now the world's largest and most prestigious comedy event, welcoming 1.7 million people each summer.