Telling jokes on Twitter is a whole new bag for Comedy Central, but the schtick just might work thanks to its A-list talent.
The cable channel owned by Viacom is hosting a five-day festival online featuring Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner, reports The Times. The festival will also showcase newer faces like Judd Apatow, Amy Schumer and director Paul Feig.
Using the hashtag #Comedyfest, the festival will almost entirely take place on Twitter, with comics sharing videos of routines, roundtables and jokes, says The Times. For example, comedian Steve Agee will unveil a "Vine Dining" series comprised of six clips starting on Tuesday.
The integration with Twitter, and its video app Vine in particular, underscores the network's goal of moving its audience online and relying less on TV viewing, says The Times. “One of these days we will be ambivalent about where people watch Comedy Central,” Steve Grimes, the channel’s senior vice president for programming and multiplatform strategy.
Until then, Comedy Central will be working on its free, ad-supported app CC: Stand Up, which is said to come stocked with videos of comics performing routines.
[via The New York Times]
