VIDEO: Will Ferrell to Be Honored with MTV's Inaugural 'Comedic Genius Award'
By: Caryn Robbins Feb. 27, 2013
Get More: MTV Shows
MTV today announced that Will Ferrell will be honored at the 2013 MTV Movie Awards with the first-ever "Comedic Genius Award" for his incomparable contributions to the world of comedy, including his on-screen portrayals of some of pop culture's greatest characters. Plus, he is just that funny.
The accolade was created to honor an actor who has not only provided a major influence through their work but also transformed the genre. From his seven-year tenure on "Saturday Night Live" to playing Ron Burgundy in "Anchorman" to the title character in "Elf" and Frank the Tank in "Old School," Ferrell's comedic chops are nothing short of genius. Ferrell will join rising superstar and host Rebel Wilson at the show when it airs LIVE on Sunday, April 14 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT from the Sony Pictures Studios Lot in Culver City, CA. View the "Comedic Genius Award" promo below!
"Will Ferrell epitomizes what it means to be a comedic genius and it's only fitting that he should be the inaugural recipient of this award," said Stephen Friedman, President of MTV. "Over the course of his extraordinary, 17-plus-year career, he has entertained audiences across the globe with an impressive array of laugh-out-loud performances on air, online and in films. Simply put, Will Ferrell is 'kind of a big deal'."
Additionally, for the first time this year's full list of nominations will be announced during the "2013 MTV Movie Awards Nominations Spectacular" featuring a live on-air and online event on Tuesday, March 5. Kicking off on MTV at 7:58 p.m. ET, MTV News' Josh Horowitz will be joined by host Rebel Wilson, to announce the "Movie of the Year" nominees before heading online to MTV.com for a 30-minute live stream. During the online reveal, Horowitz will be joined live in the studio by Jenni "JWOWW" Farley of MTV's "Snooki & JWOWW," along with a cast of MTV characters to help reveal all nominees for returning fan-favorite awards such as "Best Kiss" and "Best Fight," as well as all-new categories including "Best Shirtless Performance" and "Best Musical Moment," including the cast of "Teen Wolf," Molly Tarlov and Jessica Lu of "Awkward," Nev Schulman and Max Joseph of "Catfish: The TV Show," Nikki Glaser and Sara Schaeferof "Nikki & Sara Live," Vinny Guadagnino and his family of upcoming "The Show with Vinny" and more. Voting will begin immediately after at MovieAwards.MTV.com.
Beginning his career as a member of The Groundlings improv group in Los Angeles, Ferrell was invited to audition for "Saturday Night Live's" executive producer Lorne Michaels. In 1995 he joined the cast and has since become recognized for some of the show's most memorable impersonations including Chicago Cubs announcer Harry Caray, singer Robert Goulet, "Jeopardy" host Alex Trebek and U.S. Vice President Al Gore. Following his departure, Ferrell went on to create and star in a long line of comedy blockbusters from the past ten years including "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby," "Step Brothers," and the animated feature hit "Megamind." Additionally, in 2007 Ferrell launched the user-generated website Funny or Die into the cultural zeitgeist which produces and features celebrity and comedian-driven video content. He has also starred in the Tony Award-nominated Broadway play "You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W. Bush" and in 2011, was selected as the recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Later this year, fans can look forward to Ferrell as he reprises his much-anticipated role in "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues."
The "2013 MTV Movie Awards" will air across MTV's global network of more than 60 channels reaching more than a half-billion households around the world. In addition, its convergent programming and content will reach the entire interactive community, via MTV's more than 200 digital media properties around the world. The 2012 MTV Movie Awards grew its reach +4% YOY with the coveted 12-24 demographic across key international markets, including the UK, Australia, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Singapore and Mexico.
Jesse Ignjatovic/Den of Thieves serves as Executive Producer for the "2013 MTV Movie Awards." Garrett English serves as Executive Producer and Executive in Charge for MTV. Amy Doyle is Executive in Charge of Music and Celebrity Talent. Joanna Bomberg is Executive in Charge of Music Talent. Wendy Plaut serves as Co-Executive Producer and Executive in Charge of Celebrity Talent. Lee Lodge serves as co-Executive Producer.
Official sponsors of the "2013 MTV Movie Awards" include HTC, DR PEPPER, Revlon, Taco Bell and Unilever.
About MTV:
MTV is the world's premier youth entertainment brand. With a global reach of more than a half-billion households, MTV is the cultural home of the millennial generation, music fans and artists, and a pioneer in creating innovative programming for young people. MTV reflects and creates pop culture with its Emmy, Grammy and Peabody award-winning content Built around compelling storytelling, music discovery and activism across TV, online and mobile. MTV's sibling networks MTV2 and mtvU each deliver unparalleled customized content for young males, music fans and college students, and its online HUB MTV.com is a leading destination for music, news and pop culture. MTV is a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.
About Den of Thieves:
Founded in 2007 by Jesse Ignjatovic and Evan Prager to create, develop and produce original television, Den of Thieves has emerged as a force for ambitious event shows and uniquely stylized reality television series. Using their extensive experience working with talent, their credits cover a vast array of formats and include VH1's "The T.O. Show," Comedy Central's "Russell Brand in New York City", Bravo's "Start-Ups: Silicon Valley," as well as the MTV Video Music Awards, CMT Country Awards and MTV Movie Awards.
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