The Comedy Channel Originals

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum


Background

The Comedy Channel was the first all-comedy channel ever made, launched on November 15, 1989 by Warner Communications (later TimeWarner) through Home Box Office. The channel primarily aired comedic talk/variety shows, sketches, and original programs, the most successful of which was Mystery Science Theater 3000. The Comedy Channel struggled to gain viewership, with only MST3K being a real hit, and in 1990, it was announced that The Comedy Channel would merge with Viacom's competing channel, Ha! TV Comedy Network. The resulting venture launched on April 1, 1991 as CTV: The Comedy Network; this channel was renamed to Comedy Central two months later to avoid confusion with Canada's CTV network. TimeWarner continued to hold a stake in Comedy Central until Viacom bought out their remaining half in 2003.

Logo (November 15, 1989-April 1, 1991)


Visuals: Over a black background, there are the words "A Presentation Of" and The Comedy Channel's logo (a red-outlined "C" with the word "COMEDY" in red on top, "THE" in the middle left of the "C" in a smaller font, and "CHANNEL" at the bottom) next to it.

Variant:

  • A version without "A Presentation Of" exists.
  • On The Higgins Boys and Gruber is the "C" on a white background at a 90 degree angle. It tilts upright as the text inside slides in. "Presentation" fades in below in black.

Technique: None, save for the rotating and the text appearing in the variant.

Audio: None. The variant features an announcer saying "This has been a Comedy Channel presentation."

Availability:

  • It was used on episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000 from the Comedy Channel era, very few of which have been released on DVD. Newer prints of Season 1 and 2 episodes have this logo blacked out, replaced with the 1991 Comedy Central logo, or cut off entirely, so old recordings are the best way to find this logo.
  • It also appeared on The Higgins Boys and Gruber and Your Times May Vary.
The Comedy Channel Originals
CTV: The Comedy Network
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