Sketch comedy zaniness, stand-up instruction and game show-style cooking share a virtual stage at ONnetworks.com. The newly launched comedy line-up boasts quirky, original shows that offer something for everyone – from satire enthusiasts looking for fresh desktop distractions to wannabe comedians eager to be the next Kathy Griffin or Jerry Seinfeld.

The 3-10 minute weekly shows are part of ON Networks’ collection of smart, short-form entertainment which can be watched anytime, anywhere and on any device. ON Networks is one of the largest providers of original, high-definition content that is compatible with all Apple platforms, including the iPhone, iPod and Apple TV.

The ON comedy lineup includes:

• Comedy Insider – A virtual primer on how to be a stand-up comic. Viewers learn the ins, outs, ups and downs of engaging in the world’s only art form with a two drink minimum. Filmed at the famed Gotham Comedy Club in New York City, Comedy Insider is hosted by Christian Thom and features a different guest comic each week. With topics ranging from, “Crafting your Onstage Persona” to “Stand-Up Economics 101,” each episode features interviews juxtaposed with performance clips of the guest's live stand-up.
• Backpack Picnic – Redefining how weird and hilarious sketch comedy can be. Viewers are treated to absurdist sketch comedy at its very best, served up by comedy troupe veterans Mitch Baker and Dave Bewley and their band of merry men. With a combination of one-off skits and recurring character pieces, the show creates a nonsensical world reminiscent of Kids in the Hall and Fox’s Family Guy. One recent Backpack episode, titled “Spin,” sees a corporate spin-doctor’s press conference take a turn for the tasty worst while another, called “Suppression Bakery,” features inane cross-dressing bakers who answer the hypothetical question, “what ingredients are in a cake?” with the answer: “eggs, sugar, chocolate and RAGE” and then set about demonstrating how, to a murderous crescendo.
• Stump the Chef – One seasoned chef, three random ingredients, and three tough judges. A punchy cooking show with the flair of early TV game shows, Stump the Chef is reminiscent of the Price is Right with a dash of Iron Chef thrown in. In each episode, award-winning Chef Matt Weaver is presented with three random ingredients – such as liver, day-old French fries and olives – and challenged to create an edible dish with the addition of only a few pantry items. All the while, two “wannabe foodie” announcers provide hilarious running commentary, questioning whether Matt will succeed at winning a “thumbs up” from the judges. No matter what crazy ingredients he’s faced with, Matt gets creative and reminds viewers, “don’t be afraid of the kitchen.”

In addition to adding new weekly episodes to its existing comedy lineup, ON is continuously adding new shows to its roster. Shows can be watched anytime, anywhere by going to www.onnetworks.com and clicking on the desired icon. Viewers can then subscribe to receive email updates about new episodes, as well as get other program information. Other shows available at www.onnetworks.com are: Austin Connoisseur, Budget Health Nut, Cocktails on the Fly, Dinner with the Band, ON Dating, Golf Tips, Lust for Looks and Zen Living.

To share an episode of any ON program, simply visit www.onnetworks.com and select the desired show and episode. Next, click on the “chain” icon in the player control bar. There, you can view the embedded HTML player code, which can be copied and then pasted onto any web page.