io9: comedy central

Never Fear! Everyone's Back On Futurama After All

Graeme McMillan — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 07:00:19 PDT

You no longer need to worry that your favorite cast members will be missing from the revival of cult cartoon Futurama - A compromise has been reached that will see everyone returning to the show when it returns next year.

The Toronto Star, of all places, reports that negotiations between Fox and the cast have finally ended with the studio agreeing to offer more money than was originally on the table, and the cast taking less than they originally demanded, meaning that both sides can move forward begrudgingly into production for the new 26-episode season ordered by Comedy Central. We eagerly look forward to the episode that makes fun of the negotiation, deal and publicity surrounding both. You know it's coming.

Futurama cast signs new deal with Fox [Toronto Star]

Comedy Central Casts "Ghosts/Aliens" Paranormal Pinheads

Gary Susman — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:30:00 PDT

Comedy Central is moving ahead with a series based on Trey Hamburger's paranormal spoof novel Ghosts/Aliens. The network has found two actors to play the bumbling specter-chasers for a TV pilot and possible feature film.

Hamburger's 2008 novel is about a pothead named Trey Hamburger, who, with best pal Mike Stevens, sets out from his small town to expose the truth about the undead and visitors from other worlds. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jonathan Sadowski (of the recent Friday the 13th) will play Trey, while Keir O'Donnell (Paul Blart: Mall Cop) will play Mike. Also cast are Rebecca Wisocky as Trey's cougar-y mom Deb Hamburger and Kaylee DeFer (The War at Home) as one of Trey's spook-chasing posse, who is also his possible love interest.

Hamburger's deadpan, inspired silliness ought to make for a pleasantly goofy show, though I don't know how Comedy Central can top the inspired, self-deluded geekiness of the videos author Hamburger has posted on his promotional YouTube channel. For instance:

"Futurama" Lives Again on Comedy Central

Gary Susman — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:30:00 PDT

Confirming yesterday's rumor, Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files confirms that Comedy Central is reviving Futurama — and not just for 13 episodes, but for 26. In a jar somewhere, the disembodied head of Al Gore is smiling.

Citing the precedent of Family Guy, reanimated after cancellation due to its popularity in reruns and DVD sales, 20th Century Fox television told EW it was responding to a similar hunger for Matt Groening and David X. Cohen's futuristic spoof. "Futurama was another series that fans simply demanded we bring back," said 20th Century Fox TV Chairmen Gary Newman and Dana Walden in a press release, "and we couldn't have been happier when Matt and David agreed that there were many more stories yet to tell." Groening chimed in with a statement, saying, ""We're thrilled Futurama is coming back. We now have only 25,766 episodes to make before we catch up with Bender and Fry in the year 3000." The new Futurama episodes will air in 2010, so that gives Groening and Cohen 990 years to go.

Gay Robot Will Not Be Silenced

Annalee Newitz — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 17:30:00 PDT

If you're one of those people who somehow missed the internet phenomenon known as The Gay Robot, now is your chance to brush up. Adam Sandler developed the character of a robot who goes gay when the professor who builds him accidentally spills a wine cooler on his creation. After doing a skit about Gay Robot for a comedy album, Sandler spun it out into a TV pilot that was never picked up. He released that pilot on YouTube last year, and it quickly became a cult phenomenon. There was talk of doing an animated version, and frequent Sandler collaborator Nick Swardson recently confirmed to Culture Vulture that a new pilot has been finished for Comedy Central. Gay Robot lives! Here's a clip introducing Gay Robot in that original pilot. [The Gay Robot Pilot via YouTube]