Busboy Productions
Encyclopedia
Busboy Productions is a production company
that was launched by Jon Stewart
in the mid-1990s when he was known for hosting The Jon Stewart Show
on MTV
.
In addition to Stewart, executive Chris McShane is in charge of development and production.
in a Mexican restaurant as a young man. The company's vanity card features the sound of a glass being knocked over followed by a voice whispering "Oops. Sorry."
was canceled, Stewart signed a production deal with Miramax to star in at least two films per year and develop his own projects. However, Stewart starred in only three films for Miramax and no projects were ever produced.
After Stewart's success as host and producer of The Daily Show
, Busboy Productions was revived. In 2002, Stewart approached NBC
to create a show in which Stephen Colbert
would star. That show never got off the ground.
In 2005, Busboy Productions reached an agreement with Comedy Central
to finance the production company. Comedy Central has a first-look agreement
of any project. If Comedy Central passes on a project, Busboy is free to shop them to other networks.
, and Ben Karlin
, and subject to a distribution agreement between Busboy Productions and Comedy Central
, which made certain that "the Report" would run through 2007. The Colbert Report is produced in association with Stephen Colbert's Spartina Productions
.
Jon Stewart joked in an interview with E!
, when asked if he would appear on the Report, that he "doesn't do start-ups" and would wait until the show set into a deeper footing. He has since made several appearances.
Colbert's response was that "His shadow is dark enough. I don't want to ask the source of darkness for help. I'm not interested in that same liberal claptrap. That meow, meow, meow, ironic detachment. We're going to deal with truth on my show."
While The Colbert Report is Busboy Production's first successful television show, the notice "Copyright (c) 2004 by Busboy Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved" appeared at the bottom of the "Shadow Government" poster included in The Daily Show
's America (The Book)
.
which follows a group of Minnesota Vikings
fans throughout the football season. It aired on SpikeTV in 2006.
with Busboy. While a pilot episode was filmed, the series was not picked up by Comedy Central.
The project was a character-based comedy set in the world of minor league baseball. It was written by Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck, whose credits include King of the Hill
, Frasier
, The Larry Sanders Show
and The Late Show with David Letterman.
. Corddry will be an actor and writer for the movie.
Variety said that the 35-year-old comedian helped Stewart create the concept for "The Donor" and will also help pen the film's script alongside screenwriters Jason Mantzoukas and Brian Huskey.
, a comedy show starring Demetri Martin
, in which he "alternates between taped sketches and stand-up performances in front of a studio audience". Jon Stewart took an active role in "shepherding" the pilot. Reuters
reports:
(TV Channel) December 14, 2010.
Production company
A production company provides the physical basis for works in the realms of the performing arts, new media art, film, television, radio, and video.- Tasks and functions :...
that was launched by Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart is an American political satirist, writer, television host, actor, media critic and stand-up comedian...
in the mid-1990s when he was known for hosting The Jon Stewart Show
The Jon Stewart Show
The Jon Stewart Show was a short-lived talk show hosted by comedian Jon Stewart on MTV. It premiered in 1993 and became the second highest-rated program on the network behind Beavis and Butt-Head....
on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
.
In addition to Stewart, executive Chris McShane is in charge of development and production.
Name
The name of the company is a reference to how Stewart worked as a busboyBusboy
Busser, busboy and busgirl are terms used in the United States for someone who works in the restaurant and catering industry clearing tables, taking dirty dishes to the dishwasher, setting tables and otherwise assisting the waiting staff....
in a Mexican restaurant as a young man. The company's vanity card features the sound of a glass being knocked over followed by a voice whispering "Oops. Sorry."
History
Shortly after The Jon Stewart ShowThe Jon Stewart Show
The Jon Stewart Show was a short-lived talk show hosted by comedian Jon Stewart on MTV. It premiered in 1993 and became the second highest-rated program on the network behind Beavis and Butt-Head....
was canceled, Stewart signed a production deal with Miramax to star in at least two films per year and develop his own projects. However, Stewart starred in only three films for Miramax and no projects were ever produced.
After Stewart's success as host and producer of The Daily Show
The Daily Show
The Daily Show , is an American late night satirical television program airing each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central. The half-hour long show premiered on July 21, 1996, and was hosted by Craig Kilborn until December 1998...
, Busboy Productions was revived. In 2002, Stewart approached NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
to create a show in which Stephen Colbert
Stephen Colbert
Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.Colbert originally studied to be an...
would star. That show never got off the ground.
In 2005, Busboy Productions reached an agreement with Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
to finance the production company. Comedy Central has a first-look agreement
First look deal
A first look deal is an arrangement, usually in the film industry, where either a company or in some cases an individual enters into a commercial agreement with a studio under which they must allow the studio the right of first refusal in relation to developing and/or producing a project the...
of any project. If Comedy Central passes on a project, Busboy is free to shop them to other networks.
The Colbert Report
Busboy's first television production was The Colbert Report, produced by Stewart, Stephen ColbertStephen Colbert
Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.Colbert originally studied to be an...
, and Ben Karlin
Ben Karlin
Ben Karlin is an American television producer. He is an eight time Emmy-winning American writer and executive producer best known for his work in The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report. He is one of three co-creators of The Colbert Report along with Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart...
, and subject to a distribution agreement between Busboy Productions and Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
, which made certain that "the Report" would run through 2007. The Colbert Report is produced in association with Stephen Colbert's Spartina Productions
Spartina Productions
Spartina Productions is a television production company owned by Stephen Colbert. Their production logo shows a small fish jumping out of a pond and swallowing an egret whole, followed by the word "spartina" in leet....
.
Jon Stewart joked in an interview with E!
E!
E! Entertainment Television is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by NBCUniversal. It features entertainment-related programming, reality television, feature films and occasionally series and specials unrelated to the entertainment industry.E! has an audience reach of...
, when asked if he would appear on the Report, that he "doesn't do start-ups" and would wait until the show set into a deeper footing. He has since made several appearances.
Colbert's response was that "His shadow is dark enough. I don't want to ask the source of darkness for help. I'm not interested in that same liberal claptrap. That meow, meow, meow, ironic detachment. We're going to deal with truth on my show."
While The Colbert Report is Busboy Production's first successful television show, the notice "Copyright (c) 2004 by Busboy Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved" appeared at the bottom of the "Shadow Government" poster included in The Daily Show
The Daily Show
The Daily Show , is an American late night satirical television program airing each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central. The half-hour long show premiered on July 21, 1996, and was hosted by Craig Kilborn until December 1998...
's America (The Book)
America (The Book)
America : A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction is a 2004 non-fiction book written by Jon Stewart and other writers of The Daily Show that parodies and satirizes American politics and worldview...
.
Sportsfan
Sportsfan is a documentary filmDocumentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
which follows a group of Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
fans throughout the football season. It aired on SpikeTV in 2006.
Three Strikes
Three Strikes was the first scripted comedy pilot under Comedy Central's first look dealFirst look deal
A first look deal is an arrangement, usually in the film industry, where either a company or in some cases an individual enters into a commercial agreement with a studio under which they must allow the studio the right of first refusal in relation to developing and/or producing a project the...
with Busboy. While a pilot episode was filmed, the series was not picked up by Comedy Central.
The project was a character-based comedy set in the world of minor league baseball. It was written by Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck, whose credits include King of the Hill
King of the Hill
King of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
, Frasier
Frasier
Frasier is an American sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for eleven seasons, from September 16, 1993, to May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee in association with Grammnet and Paramount Network Television.A spin-off of Cheers, Frasier stars...
, The Larry Sanders Show
The Larry Sanders Show
The Larry Sanders Show is a satirical television sitcom that aired from August 1992 to May 1998 on the HBO cable television network in the United States. It starred stand-up comedian Garry Shandling as vain, neurotic talk show host Larry Sanders, and centered on the running of his TV show, and the...
and The Late Show with David Letterman.
The Donor
Busboy Productions is set to launch its first movie to date, The Donor, a new comedy film starring longtime Daily Show correspondent, Rob CorddryRob Corddry
Robert William "Rob" Corddry is an American actor and comedian. He is known for his work as a former correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and for his starring role in the comedy film Hot Tub Time Machine...
. Corddry will be an actor and writer for the movie.
Variety said that the 35-year-old comedian helped Stewart create the concept for "The Donor" and will also help pen the film's script alongside screenwriters Jason Mantzoukas and Brian Huskey.
Important Things with Demetri Martin
Busboy Productions also launched Important Things with Demetri MartinImportant Things with Demetri Martin
Important Things with Demetri Martin is a sketch-variety show that aired on Comedy Central starring comedian Demetri Martin. Each episode examined a single theme, the "important thing", such as timing, power, control and money. All sketches, short vignettes, animated segments and stand-up comedy...
, a comedy show starring Demetri Martin
Demetri Martin
Demetri Martin is an American comedian, actor, artist, musician, writer and humorist. Martin is best known for his work as a stand-up comedian, contributor on The Daily Show and for his Comedy Central show Important Things with Demetri Martin.- Early life :Demetri Martin was born to a Greek...
, in which he "alternates between taped sketches and stand-up performances in front of a studio audience". Jon Stewart took an active role in "shepherding" the pilot. Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
reports:
The Naturalized
The Naturalized is a documentary film that weaves together the lives of different people from different countries who all share a quest for citizenship by choice. (IMDB) It aired on HistoryHistory
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
(TV Channel) December 14, 2010.