New Year's Day Marathon Features "Gags," "The Simpsons" and
    "Crank Yankers"

TORONTO,Dec. 11 2002 --The Comedy Network has got the perfect antidote
for New Year's Day hangovers: three and half hours of hilarity from JUST FOR
LAUGHS GAGS, THE SIMPSONS and CRANK YANKERS. The Comedy Network presents the
New Year's Day HANGOVER HELPER PRANK-O-RAMA, Wednesday, January 1 from
7:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. ET/PT.
    (xx) Note: High-Resolution Artwork for JUST FOR LAUGHS GAGS, THE SIMPSONS
and CRANK YANKERS is available online under "Art" at www.ctvmedia.ca/comedy
(password = "Canada").
    The HANGOVER HELPER PRANK-O-RAMA presents multiple episodes from two
series that revel in playing jokes on unsuspecting subjects - JUST FOR LAUGHS
GAGS and CRANK YANKERS - as well as an all-time favourite episode of THE
SIMPSONS.
    "Instead of wallowing in self pity over broken glasses, relationships and
resolutions after New Year's Eve is over, viewers can sit on their lazy asses,
watch television and laugh at someone else's expense," says Brent Haynes,
Director of Programming for The Comedy Network.
    In GAGS, short but complex pranks are played on people while hidden
cameras capture their response. It's simple, but it works. Seen in over 75
countries, GAGS is one of The Comedy Network's most-watched Canadian series
and premieres on CTV December 26. Three back-to-back episodes of GAGS will air
7:30 to 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
    In "So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show," airing 9:00 - 9:30 p.m.
ET/PT, Bart's April Fool's Day prank backfires and lands Homer in the hospital
in a coma. At Homer's bedside, The Simpson family reminisces about all of the
good times they've had over the years.
    And finally, completing the PRANK-O-RAMA are three episodes of the hit
prank phone call show CRANK YANKERS, airing 9:30 - 11:00 p.m. ET/PT. In CRANK
YANKERS, outrageous prank calls from real comedians to real people are the
basis for a twisted town inhabited solely by puppets. Featured in the
PRANK-O-RAMA are phone pranks from Adam Carolla, Jim Florentine, Dave Attell,
Jimmy Kimmel, David Alan Grier, Tracy Morgan, Denis Leary and Sarah Silverman.
    JUST FOR LAUGHS GAGS airs Saturdays at 7:00 p.m. THE SIMPSONS is seen
nightly at 9:00 p.m. CRANK YANKERS airs Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. (all times
ET/PT).




-30-


For further information: For more hangover help, please contact:
Scott Henderson