Insanity Erupts Again As Anti-Game Show "Distraction" Returns For Its Second Season January 10 At 10:00 P.M. On COMEDY CENTRAL

British Comedian Jimmy Carr Returns To Host New Season With All New Narcissists And Masochists As Contestants

NEW YORK, January 3, 2006 -- Are there people who will risk utter personal humiliation and suffer horrible acts of pain just to be on a television game show? Sure, you say, but what about televised pain that includes pecking geese and attacking giant wrestlers? O.K., but permanent scarring and electrocution, too? Of course there are and all for the entertainment of COMEDY CENTRAL viewers!

From the unconventional game show that first introduced "pee buzzers" to American audiences, British comedian sensation Jimmy Carr returns to host season two of "Distraction" on COMEDY CENTRAL premiering January 10 at 10:00 p.m. Carr's irreverent and sardonic set-up of each trivia question and distracting challenge does not make it any easier for the four hapless contestants on each episode.

Produced by FremantleMedia North America ("American Idol," "How Clean Is Your House?"), this outrageous, laugh-out-loud show turns the game show format upside down and revolves around Carr's sharp, dry wit and his brash dealings with contestants. Based on FremantleMedia's British show of the same name, "Distraction" demands the ultimate in physical and mental endurance from its contestants. The show pitches four rivals in a battle of wits to answer general knowledge questions while being "distracted" by a series of challenges, aimed at throwing them off course.

"The utter insanity of this 'anti-game show' and the hilarity of Jimmy Carr proved popular with our viewers in the first season," said Lauren Corrao, executive vice president, original programming and development, COMEDY CENTRAL. "The new challenges that 'Distraction' has in store for its victims, or contestants rather, are so ludicrous that we can't wait to air the new season and give the game show format another run for its money."

New distractions for the second season include: Tattoo -- tattoo artists administer fresh tattoos while contestants try to concentrate on answering questions; Blinking Electrocution -- contestants receive an electric shock every time they blink as they attempt to answer questions; Geese Peck -- contestants must answer questions while lying down in a pen, covered with feed, as geese eat off their bodies; and Catapult -- a small catapult throws a bevy of items such as eggs, pies and rice into the contestants' faces each time they buzz in to answer a question.

First season "distractions" that will make an encore include: Clothes Pins -- contestants must attach as many clothespins on their face as possible during a speed round of questions; Wrestlers -- huge wrestlers body slam and throw contestants around while they are asked and answer a variety of questions; and Hot Shots -- contestants must down a shot of hot sauce before they can answer each question.

Carr, the current host of "Distraction" in the UK, is a frequent performer at the Montreal Just For Laughs Festival and the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival. He has also appeared on such shows as "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and "Late Night with Conan O'Brien."

"Distraction" is executive produced by Michael Dugan, whose credits include COMEDY CENTRAL's "Trigger Happy TV," the game show "Smush" for USA Network and "Apt. 2F" for MTV. Zoe Friedman and Scott Landsman serve as executives in charge of production for COMEDY CENTRAL.

FremantleMedia North America (FMNA) is on the leading edge of global broadcast production, developing some of television's most innovative and watched new programming. Based in Santa Monica and with offices in New York, FMNA has produced such genre-bending shows as the musical/reality phenomenon "American Idol" (Fox), which received five Emmy nominations in 2003, and the hotly debated reality series "The Swan" (Fox). Other credits include "The Price Is Right" (CBS), the longest-running game show in television history, the daily syndicated game show "Family Feud" and the breakout hit lifestyle show "How Clean Is Your House?" (Lifetime).