TVSquad

Well, I told you about the pilot taping of The Root of All Evil and Julia actually went to the taping, but now it's official: Comedy Central has picked up the pilot, so keep your eyes peeled so you can judge the show for yourself.

Actually, don't keep your eyes peeled, because peeling your eyes actually makes your vision worse. Many people have experienced irreversible ocular damage because of that metaphor. Nasty business.

Here's some great news for you fanatics of the UCB/Comedy Central brand of "alternative" comedy: Comedy Death Ray, the popular Los Angeles comedy show, is coming to you in Web and audio form. The first CD (double CD!), produced through Comedy Central Records, will feature the likes of Patton Oswalt (King of Queens, Comedians of Comedy), Maria Bamford (Comedians of Comedy), David Cross (Mr. Show, Arrested Development) and Paul F. Tompkins (Mr. Show, Best Week Ever). The album will consist of footage from the live show taped at the UCB Theater in Los Angeles and at the SF Sketchfest in San Francisco. It will come out this summer.

Comedy Death Ray will also produce shorts for the comedy broadband site Super Deluxe, including a comedic soap opera called "Lake Charles Lake."

You can read all about the new ventures on this thread over at A Special Thing, which also includes some insight from Comedy Death Ray co-creator Scott Aukerman, who developed the show five years ago with fellow actor and comedian BJ Porter.