TVSquad

"B as in bandits. Who rob. And what do they rob you of? Logs. A blog is something that's contagious. It festers here and it eats away at the planet."

That's Amy Sedaris, explaining what blogs are. She's part of the new, six-part PBS documentary Make 'Em Laugh, which starts airing Wednesday night at 8pm (you can also buy the DVD in stores tomorrow). Amy not only explains the blogs, she also tells us what the internet is in general (like a big cave you drive out of). And "vlog" comes from the Latin for "head cheese."

This portion of the show is after the jump. Looks like PBS/WNET is going the VH-1 route and getting all hip with this documentary, having various experts on comedy sit off to the side of the screen, talking about comedy and making funny remarks, a la I Love The 80s or...well, 22 other shows.This looks like a fun documentary though. Besides Sedaris we'll hear from people like Dick Van Dyke, George Carlin, Carol Burnett, Chris Rock, Will Ferrell, Sid Caesar, Richard Belzer, Joan Rivers, Roseanne Barr, Billy Crystal, Michael McKean, and others. They're also going to feature many online humor, including College Humor, Funny Or Die, and zefrank.

Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.

How can there be so many DVDs released in one day and there not be one that I want to buy? I never got into Stargate, I don't want to own Dallas on DVD, ditto Reba, and I refuse to buy Walker Texas Ranger because a.) it's not very good, and b.) it replaced a show that I really loved in the early 90s. I enjoyed Benny Hill, but I don't know if I enjoyed it enough to own it. So it looks like I'm going to save some money this week.

Yeah, right. Like I won't find something to buy that was released a while ago.

• Alvin & The Chipmunks - The Chipettes
• Ben 10 Alien Force - Season 1, Vol. 2
• The Benny Hill Show - Best of the Early Years
• Captain and the Kings - Miniseries
• Dallas - Season 10
• House of Payne - Vol. 3

Almost as soon as I arrived in Beverly Hills for the press tour on July 13, I had an assignment: find a power brick for my laptop, which I had left behind in New Jersey. One frantic and sweaty trip to Radio Shack later, I was ready for my next assignment: a brief interview with The Daily Show's Senior Black Correspondent, Larry Wilmore.

Wilmore was on hand to promote Make 'Em Laugh, a wide-ranging PBS documentary series on the history of modern comedy that's set to air in 2009 (it was announced that day that Billy Crystal is hosting the series). Right after the interview, Wilmore was on a panel with two other documentary participants: original SNL writer Anne Beatts (whom I also interviewed) and comedian Richard Lewis.

I only had a few minutes with Wilmore, so I quickly moved on from the special to ask him about how he got the Daily Show gig after a career spent behind the scenes as a writer and producer (The PJs, The Bernie Mac Show). I also asked him what it's like to work on a show that's so influential on the political and news scene. The interview is after the jump.

Thirteen/WNET and Ghost Light films named Billy Crystal host of the new documentary series Make 'Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America. The six-hour documentary, which will air in January 2009, will explore the tropes of American comedy and chronicle its evolution.

The comedian will appear in the opening of each episode and introduce viewers to the funniest moments in American entertainment. Some of the comedic talents that will be featured include: Charlie Chaplin, Jack Benny, Abbott & Costello, Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, Sid Caesar, Anne Beatts, Woody Allen, Larry Wilmore, George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Richard Lewis, Jon Stewart, and Chris Rock.