My Damn Channel launches an entertainment studio and new media platform created to empower artists to co-produce, distribute and monetize original, episodic video content. Comedians, musicians and filmmakers will develop short-form series and retain total artistic control of their own web channels. Original content is available free to viewers on http://www.mydamnchannel.com/ and as branded programming syndicated to major web portals and digital devices.

Venerable comedian/political satirist Harry Shearer ("The Simpsons," "This is Spinal Tap"); renowned music producer Don Was (The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan); independent comic filmmaker David Wain ("Wet Hot American Summer," "The Ten"); and Web phenom Andy Milonakis ("The Andy Milonakis Show," MTV), will join http://www.mydamnchannel.com live at 7:00 a.m. (EDT) today.

My Damn Channel is the brainchild of President and CEO, Rob Barnett. Barnett was an executive at MTV and VH1 for more than 11 years and was most recently President of Programming for CBS Radio. Barnett has produced new and "traditional" media with hundreds of popular personalities, including President Bill Clinton, Mick Jagger, Johnny Rotten and Oprah Winfrey.

"My Damn Channel gives our talented friends a blank canvas to do what they want and the digital means to reach the masses," said Barnett. "Some execs talk about disrupting media but forget about how smart this new audience really is. The B.S. barometer is very high. Our channels deliver the original content that web fans deserve and that advertisers and syndicators will support."

"My Damn Channel is a great example of the kind of place an artist like me seeks out - a new outpost in an emerging medium where the rules have not yet been engraved in stone," Shearer added. "Rob and his team are giving me the opportunity to make smart, topical comedy and get it to the audience before it cools. What, except for having a zillion stock options in the company, could be better?"

My Damn Channel is ad-supported and all of its programming will also be syndicated to the most heavily-trafficked online communities and social networks. The company will share revenues with its artists from advertising on http://www.mydamnchannel.com and from programming syndication deals.

YouTube is the first to enter into a syndication agreement with My Damn Channel. Under the agreement, My Damn Channel content will be available to the YouTube community at http://www.youtube.com/MyDamnChannel.

Beginning today, My Damn Channel will launch with a diverse portfolio of original programming featuring comedy, political satire, music and filmmaking. Every My Damn Channel artist will co-create the look and feel of their own signature channel, including:

• Harry Shearer Project: Harry Shearer is an actor, comic, writer and radio host best known for his celebrated work on "The Simpsons," "This is Spinal Tap," "A Mighty Wind," "For Your Consideration," "Le Show" and "Saturday Night Live." Shearer will satirize the current political and pop-culture landscape with new webisodes debuting weekly. His videos include songs from his forthcoming album, "Songs Pointed and Pointless." Shearer's first project with My Damn Channel will be produced by Karen Murphy ("This Is Spinal Tap," "Drugstore Cowboy," "Waiting for Guffman," "For Your Consideration"). The premiere episode (7/31) features Shearer as Vice President Dick Cheney, singing the torch noir tune, "No Cooler for The Scooter," written exclusively for My Damn Channel. The second episode will feature Shearer as President George W. Bush (8/7).
  
• Don Was / "Links": Don Was has produced some of the most commercially and critically successful albums in music history. Was brings musicians from every genre to My Damn Channel giving fans unique access to legends and emerging acts. Was has signed an exclusive agreement for multiple projects, including a weekly radio show/podcast; live events; new music previews; and new tracks produced by Was. He will co-produce the new music interview series "LINKS," with actor Paul Reiser ("Mad About You") through Reiser's Nuance Productions. The first episode (7/31) features a no-holds-barred session with Velvet Revolver's Slash and Duff McKagan - both formerly of Guns N' Roses. Ozzy Osbourne will appear on LINKS (8/7).
  
  "I wanted 'LINKS' to capture the passionate conversations that happen when it's after midnight in the studio - talking about favorite albums, musical influences and road stories," said Was. "It's not just about upcoming records and tours, we have real music discussions between musicians; we incorporate some pretty rare archival footage; and many of the artists will perform exclusively for us."
  
• David Wain / "Wainy Days": David Wain is a founding member of the comedy troupe The State. The group had its own MTV series in the 1990's. Wain's past projects also include the web hit and Comedy Central series, "Stella." Wain has directed films, including the comic cult classic "Wet Hot American Summer" and his latest comedy "The Ten" (opening 8/3). Wain launches an exclusive new series for My Damn Channel called "Wainy Days," ten short-film comedies premiering weekly. "Wainy Days" follows Wain on an anxious search for love and romance in New York City. These shorts will be cast with many of Wain's favorite actors, and the debut episode features Elizabeth Banks from "The 40 Year-Old Virgin" (7/31).
  
  "I love the short-form series format," said Wain. "It's a great way to explore comic ideas without having to stretch them to feature-film or even TV-episode length. At the same time, characters, storylines and themes will develop over the course of the episodes, making my work utterly unmissable!"

Additional offerings rounding out the launch of My Damn Channel include "Hot Mental Freedom," a video blog for the channel's talent and its fans to attack hot issues and topics. Web phenomenon Andy Milonakis, who has previously starred in his own MTV series, will debut his own "My Damn Channel" in August. Additional talent and syndication partnerships will be announced in the coming weeks along with a channel for new and emerging web stars.

My Damn Channel is signing artists to episodic series deals. The company is the first to devote major resources to producing original promotional spots to fuel branding and destination viewing for its content. Promo spots and the unique interactive experience of the My Damn Channel brand are created by the firm Big Fat Brain. Promos will run on syndication partners, and on a dedicated channel called "PromoSexual." Big Fat Brain Creative Directors Matt Bledsoe and Troy Hitch have garnered multiple Webby nominations and broken down conventional marketing models with experiential campaigns for companies such as TIBCO and iRobot.

In creating My Damn Channel, Barnett forged a strategic relationship with Okapi Venture Capital, securing an initial round of funding and naming Okapi Managing Director B. Marc Averitt to the company's Board of Directors. Warren Chao will serve as My Damn Channel's Chief Operating Officer. Chao was recently Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Planning for Gemstar-TV Guide International, and is a former attorney and venture capitalist. Paul Gallagher, a former VH1 executive producer of "Behind the Music" and Emmy nominee, has been appointed My Damn Channel's Vice President of Production. Vince Thompson will present advertising, sponsorship and promotional opportunities along with fellow managing partner Mark Chassman from the firm Middleshift. Thompson recently pre-sold advertising for the popular web/mobile series "Prom Queen."