FOX cancels "MADTV" after 14 years; Co-creator vows to continue show on cable...
Ubiquitous
sketch comedy veteran "Mad TV."
The Saturday night mainstay's current 14th season will be its last on
the network, say Fox sources confirming a report on Defamer.
Yet the show's co-creator David Salzman says he's not giving up on the
program and plans to shop "Mad TV" to cable networks and other outlets.
"There’s a long list of parties that have called us, including a few
very recently, and we’re going to start conversations with them very
shortly," Salzman says.
Fox told Salzman the show had become too expensive considering its time
period and ratings. Unlike dramas and comedies that suffer the broadcast
ax, however, Salzman believes his show's budget can scaled back to suit
a cable network.
"I think we can change it without it really being noticeable," he says.
"We’ve learned over the years how to do things on an efficient basis."
Salzman calls his show "the only success in the 21-year history of Fox's
late night" and gave credit to the network for giving him enough notice
to potentially find another distributor without interrupting production.
He adds that Fox ordered a shortened season this year and will wrap
production in December.
In one respect, the timing of the cancellation is actually fortuitous --
the show’s licensing deal with Comedy Central, which airs the show's
first 11 seasons in repeats, is set to expire at the end of the year.
Salzman can offer buyers the exclusive rights to air the show's library
of content if they pick up the show, or sell the show and its library
separately.
Salzman also praised competitor "Saturday Night Live," calling the show
"the greatest of its type of all time." Still, Salzman noted his show --
which embraces a hip-hop sensibility compared with the NBC program's
1970s rock-and-roll roots -- has faced an uphill battle for attention.
"Saturday Night Live" is a heavily promoted and legendary member of the
NBC family. On Fox, "Mad TV" has been like a distant cousin of the
network's other programming, a holdover from the network's mid-1990s
brand that, to its credit, kept managing to draw an audience and survive
despite several programming management turnovers.
"'Mad TV' has been one of the longest running series in recent
television history," says Kevin Reilly, president of entertainment at
Fox, in a statement. "The fact that this Emmy Award-winning show has
been a Fox mainstay in late-night for 14 years is a testament to the
creativity and dedication put forth each week by the talented cast,
writers and crew. This was a very difficult decision and we would like
to give our heartfelt thanks to everyone at 'Mad TV' for making us laugh
for over 300 irreverent episodes."
"Mad TV" is averaging a 1.1 adult demo rating and 2.6 million viewers
this season, down 6% from last year -- a relatively modest drop compared
to the ratings hits endured by many shows this fall. Of Fox’s
programming, only “The Simpsons,” “Cops” and “America’s Most Wanted”
have been on the network longer. Fox's decision does not current impact
Fox's other late-night Saturday program, "Talkshow with Spike Feresten."
The final Fox episode -- No. 326 -- is scheduled to air in May.
"We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished, we’re appreciative of what Fox
has done and we don’t think it should be over yet," Salzman says.
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It is simply breathtaking to watch the glee and abandon with which
the liberal media and the Angry Left have been attempting to turn
our military victory in Iraq into a second Vietnam quagmire. Too bad
for them, it's failing.