“Funny Girls” reality series coming to Oxygen cable in 2014

Oxygen announced a reality series on Tuesday for up-and-coming comedians that has been almost two years in the works. It still doesn’t have an official title — the working title is “Funny Girls” — nor does it have an official cast.

But it’s a-coming.

Funny Girls first showed up on Oxygen’s development slate in October 2012. Brownstone Entertainment, with Drew Brown and Bob Gillan executive producing, filmed several women in the comedy business. Among them, Camille Solari, who recently performed last week on Arsenio. I know of others who took part in the pilot stages of the production, and/or signed holding deals while the project held throughout 2013. But cast negotiations remain tight-lipped now.

At the NBCUniversal Summer Press Day, Oxygen executives and spokespeople didn’t have much more information to reveal, other than the fact that Funny Girls — or whatever it’ll be called — will make it onto the channel in the coming year. Just this series description:

This funny new docu-series series showcases up-and-coming female comediennes living in Los Angeles as they strive to break the glass ceiling in the male-dominated comedy business. It’s a profession where women fight for survival of the funniest, and these sassy young comediennes will give viewers a peek inside their lives as they struggle to balance their career, relationships and friendships in and outside the industry. Their journey is anything but perfect and these non-conforming women share their uniquely humorous perspectives that come with the pursuit of comedic fame.

Funny Girls is one of seven new series ordered up by Oxygen, which plays up its demographic reach to women ages 18-34 and 18-49.

“The combination of Oxygen’s current momentum and upcoming rebrand will fully cement the network’s position with young female viewers,” said Frances Berwick, President of Bravo & Oxygen Media, in making the announcement. “This new slate of originals will deliver on the freshness, authenticity, high emotional stakes and optimism that this demographic is looking for.”

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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