Comedy Central Acquires Off-net Rights to Community

Greendale Community College’s most famous study group will have a new member beginning in 2013 (and it’s not Beetlejuice) as COMEDY CENTRAL has reached a multi-year deal with Sony Picture Television to license the critically-acclaimed comedy series “Community,” it was announced today by David Bernath, Executive Vice President, Program Strategy & Multiplatform Programming/Dean of Students for COMEDY CENTRAL. The all-comedy channel will launch the series with three seasons beginning in the fall of 2013.

“Within the chaos of the current media landscape we are fortunate that we live in a timeline where ‘Community’ comes to COMEDY CENTRAL,” said Bernath. “Our staff is celebrating with a game of paintball in the offices today.”

“Community is a perfect fit for the COMEDY CENTRAL audience,” added John Weiser, president, US distribution for Sony Pictures Television.

Currently in its third season on NBC, “Community” stars Joel McHale as a fast-talking lawyer whose degree has been revoked and who now attends Greendale Community College sitting at the center of a study group comprised of a band of misfits who, adventure-by-adventure, learn more about themselves than their course work.

Also among the series stars who comprise the study group are comedy legend Chevy Chase as “Pierce,” a man whose life experience has brought him infinite wisdom; Gillian Jacobs as “Britta,” the 20-something dropout with something to prove; Yvette Nicole Brown as “Shirley,” a sassy middle-aged divorcee; Danny Pudi as “Abed,” a pop culture
junkie; Alison Brie as “Annie,” a high-strung perfectionist; Donald Glover as “Troy,” a former high school football star trying to find his way; Jim Rash as “Dean Pelton,” the Dean of Greendale Community College; and Ken Jeong as Senor Chang.