What’s more important to you: Funny or Die’s new book imprint, or its sketch comedy challenge?

Funny or Die is expanding in two different ways that help currently working comedians.

Yesterday, the site announced its first Funny or Die Sketch Comedy Challenge. And no, you cannot enter the challenge, because they've already selected the three sketch troupes competing for cash and prizes from T-Mobile, plus a chance to shoot more videos with the FoD production team. Competing for your votes are The Birthday Boys, Cream, and Tremendosaur. Sponsored by T-Mobile, the groups are challenged to film sketches inspired by the word ‚Äúconnected.‚Äù 

Here's a video from the comedians explaining their challenge:


 

A winner will be announced March 21. You can vote between now and then.

Today we learned that Funny or Die also is planning to launch its own book imprint. They'll be publishing humor books. On paper. And also electronic books. Groovy!

Mike Farah, FoD's head of production, told Vulture: ‚ÄúWell, we like books, and we like reading. And we‚Äôre fortunate enough to be able to expand from the engine that is currently driving us. We felt like this would be a fun and logical space to get into. But we‚Äôre going to take it slowly, learning as we go.‚Äù

How will it work, though? The site will solicit original proposals, sculpt them with help from CAA and a newly-hired editor and consultant, then shop them to publishers just like everyone else in the book world does. They'll also look at e-books that add original videos into the mix.

They already have one e-book in the works, written by Mike Sacks and his cohorts who authored Sex: Our Bodies, Our Junk, to debut this summer.

Maybe your book idea could be next? You'll have to get in line behind me. And all of the comedians who currently work for and with Funny or Die.

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.

View all posts by Sean L. McCarthy →