More interactivity, more irreverence, more fun! Comedy Central is launching its first broadband-optimized video channel "Comedy Central MotherLoad." For the launch, new original series and content from classic Comedy Central shows such as Robert Smigel's "TV Funhouse," "Strangers with Candy" and "Viva Variety" will be available exclusively on "MotherLoad."

"Comedy Central MotherLoad" is a video player designed and optimized to take advantage of Broadband speed and features exclusive and dedicated content including video clips from current and classic Comedy Central shows, stand-up performances, sneak previews, behind-the-scenes exclusives, original content and newly created series specific to "MotherLoad" such as "I Love The Thirties," "Odd Todd," "Meet The Creeps" and much more.

"Comedy Central's young adult audience is made up of technically savvy and avid Web users," said Lewand. "'MotherLoad,' is the latest addition to Comedy Central's multiplatform strategy, delivering content anywhere, anytime."

"MotherLoad" is an extension of Comedy Central which will use the power of the Comedy Central brand to reach the audience on a digital platform and engage comedy fans with an entirely new way of watching the network.

"Comedy today does not just live as a 22-minute television show," said Lou Wallach, senior vice president, original programming and development, Comedy Central. "We've developed and produced programming exclusively for this digital platform and are looking forward to premiering original content on 'MotherLoad'."

"MotherLoad" will launch with five distinct channels and will offer more than 450 video clips from Comedy Central shows including never-before-seen videos and online-only extras. The video library will add between 50-80 new clips per week. Comedian Greg Giraldo, host of the network's "Friday Night With Greg Giraldo," will be the anchor of "Comedy Central MotherLoad." Each weekday, Giraldo will give a minute-long round-up of what's new on the channel. These topical intros will be shot in a studio.

Like a television set on your computer, "Comedy Central MotherLoad" is organized by channels. There are five channels; each is themed and programmed on a weekly basis and updated every weekday. The channels include:

ORIGINALS

• "Odd Todd" (11 episodes) "MotherLoad" viewers can watch Internet cult sensation Todd and his adventures in unemployment. As the money runs out and desperation kicks in, Todd struggles to work up the motivation to begin to think about considering maybe getting a job ... eventually. Kicking off the series will be a special series premiere "Halloween episode."
• "I Love the Thirties" (10 episodes) This original series, which is a parody of the ubiquitous clips franchise on Comedy Central's sister network, VH1, features minor celebrities in the late 40's, as they look back nostalgically at the 1930's and discuss hilarious fads and trends such as The Great Depression, The Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping and many others that leave us asking, "What were we thinking?" Created, produced by and starring NYC- based comedy troupe Littleman (Nick Kroll, Mike Birbiglia, John Mulaney, Conrad Mulcahy and Brian Donovan) with many familiar guest stars you may recognize from the very clip shows being parodied.
• "Shadow Rock" (8 episodes) A dark & twisted cartoon comes from the mind of Max Cannon, the artist behind the popular cult comic strip "Red Meat" (featured every week in The Onion). This animated series finds its humor in the deepest and darkest recesses of the human mind.
• "Meet the Creeps" (10 episodes) An extreme hidden camera show from the minds of writers/performers Jim Florentine (the voice of Special Ed and other characters on COMEDY CENTRAL'S "Crank Yankers") and Don Jamieson. There is no limit to how low these two will sink in order to both shock you and crack you up. You will laugh, feel guilty for laughing and then laugh at how guilty you feel.
• "Jump Cuts" Comedy Central'S short-film showcase "Jump Cuts" moves to broadband. Every week, "MotherLoad" will feature a hilarious new short by some of the funniest short film makers in America.
• "TV Listings" As a public service to our viewers, "MotherLoad" is proud to present this guide to everything else currently on television.

Additional original projects in development include live-action narratives, animation, topical stand-up performances, sketch comedy series and a movie review show.

TV Shows -- Previews, highlights and extras from all current Comedy Central programming.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart -- Highlights from every episode of "The Daily Show," updated the morning after each airing.

Comedians -- An extensive database of comedians, from the biggest stars to the newest up-and-comers. Browse through their bios or just sit back and enjoy video clips of their performances and interviews.

Comedy Central Cult Classics -- The best bits from all those Comedy Central classics you never thought you'd see again, plus some amazing things that never made it to TV.

"MotherLoad" gives users the ultimate viewing experience, it will have video quality like a television set and users will have the power to pick and click the shows and videos they want to watch, when and as often as they'd like to see them.

"MotherLoad" will offer a variety of screen size options, from "mini," where the video window collapses to minimize the player footprint to "full screen," where the video is expanded to fill the users' screen, moving ever closer to the idea of the computer as an on-demand TV set.

When viewing videos, the user will select from three options: 1) watching one clip at a time; 2) creating a playlist of their favorite shows and videos and 3) auto play, where the clips/videos are streamed based on how "MotherLoad" schedules them.

Verizon is the launch sponsor of "Comedy Central MotherLoad."