Velvet Exclusively Airs the Comedy Awards 2012

The writers, directors and performers who enhanced the laugh track of our lives, the funny TV shows that made us rush home to watch and the talented stand-up comedians that made as think as we laugh all deserve tribute for their commitment in comedy. And because they take their craft seriously, these men and women will be awarded in a ceremony where there are no formalities, dull acceptance speeches and boring monotonous voices. The extremely hilarious yet truly highly regarded Comedy Awards 2012 will be shown exclusively on fun party channel Velvet.  Viewers are given front-row seats to the Comedy Awards 2012 that premieres on May 26 (Saturday) at 10:00p.m.

Now on its second year, the Comedy Awards will tickle everyone's funny bone, celebrating the serious art of being funny. The event brings together America's best comedians as they toast each other's achievements in the past year, where hilarity is the order of the day. Among the celebrities who made the presenters' list this year include Chris Rock, Will Arnett, Tracy Morgan, Maya Rudolph, Adam Scott, Ed Helms, Jim Carrey and Jon Stewart, to name a few.

Awards will be given out in major categories in acting, film and television. In the "Comedy Film" category, leading the way are "Bridesmaids" and "Crazy, Stupid, Love," with five nominations each, "Midnight in Paris" and "Horrible Bosses" with four and the Academy-award winning "The Artist" with a total of three. Jean Dujardin of "The Artist," who recently bagged a Oscar for his performance, is again nominated in the "Best Performance by AN Actor" in film category, along with Jason Bateman for "Horrible Bosses," Steve Carrell for "Crazy, Stupid, Love," Zach Galifianakis for "The Hangover Part II" and Owen Wilson for "Midnight in Paris." Emmy award-winning actress Jennifer Aniston, who dropped her girl-next-door persona to play bawdy sex addict dentist in "Horrible Bosses", competed for the Best Actress trophy against Emma Stone for "Crazy, Stupid, Love," Cameron Diaz for "Bad Teacher," Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig both for "BRIDESMAIDS." For television, last year's winner  "MODERN FAMILY" is nominated anew for Best Comedy Series, along with "30 Rock," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Parks and Recreation" and "Happy Endings."

The comedy awards will also be honoring two of the greatest comedic names in the industry. Academy award-winning actor Robin Williams is the recipient of the prestigious "Stand-Up Icon" award,  in recognition of an individual who has made an extraordinary contribution to stand-up comedy and whose impact and innovations have changed the landscape and inspired future generations of entertainers. "Robin Williams is a comedic force of nature whose intensity and explosive free-associating style as stand-up comedian made him a superstar. Robin used stand-up comedy to literally change the world with 'Comic Relief'. "...He is one of the most important comedic voices of our time," said Casey Patterson, executive producer of The Comedy Awards. Veteran comic Don Rickles will also be awarded the "Johnny Carson" Award. Rickles is known for his comedic insults and he was a frequent guest on "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson" where he got his big break in 1965.

A YouTube page (www.youtube.com/ComedyAwards) was created to exclusively host the nominees and voting for the Best Viral Original, where fans can watch all of the contenders. The world wide web also cast its net over the Comedy Awards with digital categories, including Best Comedy App, Best Comedy Podcast, Best Remix, mash-up or Supercut and Funniest Person on Twitter.

Don't miss the Comedy Awards 2012 exclusively on Velvet. Be entertained as comedians bask in the glory of their craft. Velvet (SkyCable Channel 53) is available on SkyCable Platinum, SkyCable Gold, SkyCable Silver and other quality cable operators nationwide. For updates, log-on to http://www.facebook.com/VelvetChannel.