El Cosmico here, just to briefly allay any fears some of you may have, that something as good and offensive (yes, it's still good, and it's still offensive) as South Park can't last long...well, it can.
This week, the fine folks at Comedy Central annouced a new deal with Trey and Matt...here's the release:
COMEDY CENTRAL has come to an unprecedented agreement with "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone on an exclusive television production and development deal that will keep the dynamic creative team at the cable channel through August 2003, it was announced today by Bill Hilary, executive vice president and general manager, COMEDY CENTRAL.
The ground-breaking multi-million dollar three-year deal, which goes into effect this September, includes a minimum of 30 new episodes of the hit series "South Park" (10 episodes per year), a new series to launch in 2001, ongoing series development and a partnership agreement with Parker and Stone concerning the syndication of "South Park."
"For the last three years we have been exceptionally lucky to have our show on a network that respects creative freedom. We’ve realized it is this freedom that has made us happiest, that’s why we’ve decided to stay with COMEDY CENTRAL," said Parker. Added Stone, "After evaluating all of our offers it made sense to stay at COMEDY CENTRAL where we can continue making ‘South Park,’ which we love doing, as well as developing new shows for the network.
"We are thrilled to announce this long-term deal, which will keep Trey and Matt at COMEDY CENTRAL, where they belong, for many years to come," said Hilary. "We look forward to continuing the wild ride that began with ‘South Park’ as we tap further into the artistic genius of this extraordinary creative team."
"COMEDY CENTRAL is America’s leading comedy brand, thanks in large part to the talent and creativity of Matt and Trey," said Larry Divney, COMEDY CENTRAL president and CEO. "Both on television and on the Web, we are continuing to build COMEDY CENTRAL into a place where people can experience current, topical and breakthrough comedy that can’t be found anywhere else. Building a long-term home for these two enormously talented individuals not only makes good business sense, but it furthers our ultimate objective, which is to give our audience more ways, and more reasons, to laugh."
The deal with COMEDY CENTRAL for Parker and Stone was negotiated by their attorney Kevin Morris of Barnes, Morris, Klein & Yorn and Mike Simpson, Gaby Morgerman and Ray Solley of the William Morris Agency.
Noted WMA’s Morgerman, "COMEDY CENTRAL has always recognized Trey and Matt’s significance. We are delighted that they have stepped up in such a meaningful way to give the guys the platform they need to develop important new shows while also providing the mechanism for ‘South Park’ to continue well into the future on COMEDY CENTRAL."
COMEDY CENTRAL, the only all-comedy network is currently available in over 63 million homes nationwide. COMEDY CENTRAL, a registered trademark of Comedy Partners, is a 50-50 joint venture of Time Warner Entertainment Company and Viacom. COMEDY CENTRAL’s Internet address is http://www.ComedyCentral.com.
I really have to give some serious freaking praise to Comedy Central for this. I mean, most channels (okay, everyone except Comedy Central and HBO) COMPLETELY lack the balls to let their people exercise creative freedom. We owe it to ourselves to support these networks, that represent a true measure of free speech. It's SO SAD that in this day and age, my television content is still so damn puritanical and censored, while the rest of the developed world wonders...why are you people SO REPRESSED? You know, if people didn't make a big deal out of...expressive language and sexual content, IT WOULDN'T BE A BIG DEAL. But they do. Because they aren't content to live their own lives, they want to tell YOU how to live. What a mess. Okay, I've ranted enough.
This is HAPPY news, and makes my day a good one. Everyone, wherever you are, chug a beer or smoke whatever you like smoking, and revel in the South-Parky goodness.
-El Cosmico
mail me at: elcosmico@austin.rr.com
