About
"I'm the absolute most fortunate guy in the world. I'm not even sure what the name of the Yankee Manager was in their heyday. Nobody cared because they had Ruth and Gehrig. It makes my job pretty easy when I've got people like Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert everyday."
In his one-hour-and-ten-minute interview for the American Comedy Archives at Emerson College, Doug Herzog talks about his time at Emerson College, and the early influence of Saturday Night Live. He describes his early career working at CNN on the daily talk series People Now, as well as Entertainment Tonight, before landing at MTV. He chronicles his rise at MTV, eventually becoming Vice President of Programming, and later Vice President of Viacom Music and Entertainment Group. Herzog recounts his years programming at Comedy Central, bringing South Park, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, and The Sarah Silverman Program to the air. He discusses the evolving standards of comedy over the years at Comedy Central, and outlines the business of programming a cable network. He concludes by speaking of his proudest career achievement, and his then-future. Jenni Matz and Bill Dana conducted the interview on February 5, 2007 in Los Angeles, CA.
Highlights
Doug Herzog on Jon Stewart's vision for The Daily Show
Doug Herzog on Stephen Colbert's routine at the 2006 White House Correspondents' Dinner, and on the Comedy Central style of comedy
Doug Herzog on the early influence of Saturday Night Live on his career and on the explosion of cable television
Doug Herzog on the then future of Comedy Central programming and on the healing power of laughter
Doug Herzog on his time at Emerson College and on getting into television
Doug Herzog on Stephen Colbert's routine at the 2006 White House Correspondents' Dinner, and on the Comedy Central style of comedy
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his time at Emerson College and on getting into television; on the early influence of Saturday Night Live on his career and on the explosion of cable television; on working on Bill Tush's talk show People Now on CNN, and on working for Entertainment Tonight
On becoming Vice President of Programming at MTV and on going to work at Comedy Central; on helping to create Comedy Central's identity, and on the creation of The Daily Show
On what Jon Stewart brought to The Daily Show when he took it over from Craig Kilborn, and on the importance of the show to the network; on Jon Stewart's vision for The Daily Show; on Stephen Colbert's routine at the 2006 White House Correspondents' Dinner, and on the Comedy Central style of comedy
On the changing standards in comedy over the years; on the evolving standards of Comedy Central, and on South Park and The Daily Show; on the then future of Comedy Central programming and on the healing power of laughter
On the business of programming Comedy Central, and learning as he goes along, and on Emerson College; on his proudest career achievements, and on his then-future; on telling jokes, and on if his career was worth it
Shows
Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The
Doug Herzog on helping to create Comedy Central's identity, and on the creation of The Daily Show
Doug Herzog on what Jon Stewart brought to The Daily Show when he took it over from Craig Kilborn, and on the importance of the show to the network
Doug Herzog on Jon Stewart's vision for The Daily Show
Doug Herzog on the evolving standards of Comedy Central, and on South Park and The Daily Show
Entertainment Tonight
Doug Herzog on going to work for Entertainment Tonight as music producer, and on going to work for MTV
Saturday Night Live
Doug Herzog on the early influence of Saturday Night Live on his career and on the explosion of cable television
South Park
Doug Herzog on the evolving standards of Comedy Central, and on South Park and The Daily Show
Topics
Network Creation
Doug Herzog on helping to create Comedy Central's identity, and on the creation of The Daily Show
Doug Herzog on the evolving standards of Comedy Central, and on South Park and The Daily Show
Television Industry
Doug Herzog on helping to create Comedy Central's identity, and on the creation of The Daily Show
Doug Herzog on the evolving standards of Comedy Central, and on South Park and The Daily Show
Professions
Cable Executive
Doug Herzog on the business of programming Comedy Central, learning as he goes along, and on Emerson College
Executives
Doug Herzog on the business of programming Comedy Central, learning as he goes along, and on Emerson College
Genres
Comedy Series
Doug Herzog on the creation of The Daily Show
Doug Herzog on the evolving standards of Comedy Central, and on South Park and The Daily Show
Music Shows & Variety Shows/Specials
Doug Herzog on the early influence of Saturday Night Live on his career and on the explosion of cable television
News and Documentary
Doug Herzog on going to work for Entertainment Tonight as music producer, and on going to work for MTV
People
Stephen Colbert
Doug Herzog on Stephen Colbert's routine at the 2006 White House Correspondents' Dinner, and on the Comedy Central style of comedy
Bill Tush
Doug Herzog on working on Bill Tush's talk show People Now on CNN