LOS ANGELES and REDMOND, Wash., March 11, 1997 — With the launch of a new Web show today, MSN
™
, The Microsoft Network, and Paramount Digital Entertainment (PDE) are serving up cult duck to online fans hungry for fresh interactive entertainment. “Duckman Presents The Microsoft Network Good Time Hour (http://duckman.MSN.com/ ) is the official Duckman Web show, devoted to delivering online the irreverent attitude and social satire seen in the Emmy and CableAce award-nominated television series. Duckman is the third MSN show developed in cooperation with PDE. Entertainment Tonight Online (http://et.MSN.com/) and Star Trek: Continuum® (http://startrek.MSN.com/) , the official “Star Trek” Web site, have been available exclusively on MSN since summer 1996.
While the animated television series focuses on Duckman’s adventures as a “wise-quacking” detective, the new Duckman show on MSN chronicles Duckman’s moonlighting gig as the hip, sassy, offbeat host of “The Microsoft Network Good Time Hour,” an Internet talk show. The Web-based Duckman is geared toward adults and is available exclusively to MSN subscribers on Channel 5 of the network’s OnStage area.
Duckman executive producer Klasky-Csupo and creator Everett Peck, along with writers and artists from the award-winning Paramount series “Duckman” have created original content for the new MSN Web show. Featuring richly colored animated environments and Real Audio sound bites, Duckman’s “The Microsoft Network Good Time Hour” will be updated daily with original material. Cornfed, Aunt Beverly, Mambo and other members of Duckman’s entourage join him on the Web show.
Features of the site include these:
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Monologue. Ever-changing, stand-up, knock-down comedy provided through Real Audio by Duckman and special guests.
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Hot Seat. Tune in for Duckman’s startlingly blunt interviews with celebrity “guests” such as Oprah Winfrey, the Artist Formerly Known as Prince and Richard Nixon. If you don’t like what they have to say, fire up the Hot Seat and toast ’em to a crisp.
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Mystery Guest.
Guess who’s behind the curtain, using Duckman’s degenerate clues. -
Fascinoma. The official Duckman game. Brain not included.
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Duckman Advisor. Sort of a Dear Crabby. Get advice from Duckman on various topics including sex, love, electronics (or any combination of the above) and more.
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Rant Generator. Crank up the Rant Generator and get an audio rave to warm your heart.
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Quack Boards. Fans run off at the mouth about Duckman and his savvy satire on their very own bulletin board.
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Hot Babes. A shameless ploy to get fans to read the credits.
“I was impressed with Duckman’s candid demeanor during the screening process for a new online talk-show host,” said David Wertheimer, president of PDE. “Of course, considering that he was down on his knees, kissing my feet – and was willing to work for candy – had some influence on our final decision.”
Bob Bejan, executive producer for MSN, added, “We’re delighted that the creators of ‘Duckman’ are bringing their irresistibly loud comedy to MSN with a hilarious new story line. Through our relationship with Paramount, we’re delivering a range of engaging and, with Duckman, farcical online entertainment options for MSN members, building toward our goal of delivering the most compelling interactive programming on the Internet.”
Asked to comment on his new online show, Duckman yelled, “What the hell are you starin’ at?!”
Paramount Digital Entertainment draws upon Paramount Studio’s rich history in motion pictures and television programming, and combines it with vast creative resources and state-of-the-art technology to develop original online entertainment in cooperation with distribution and promotional partners. PDE’s charter is to pioneer new and unique ways of providing the growing online audience with consistently fascinating interactive experiences. PDE is headquartered in Los Angeles.
MSN is the third-largest online service worldwide, offering high-quality information, entertainment and communications on the Internet. With the new Web-based version launched in December 1996, MSN also makes available hundreds of special-interest bulletin boards and such online services, programming and Web shows as the Encarta® multimedia encyclopedia, the Expedia
™
travel service, Star Trek: Continuum, Slate
™
online magazine, the CarPoint
™
online automotive service, and up-to-date news and information from MSNBC News. The MSN home page can be reached at (http://www.MSN.com/) Customers can call (800) FREE-MSN (373-3676) for details on how to receive a one-month free trial and an MSN CD.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
Microsoft, MSN, Encarta, Expedia, Slate and CarPoint are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
Star Trek: Continuum is a registered trademark of Paramount Pictures.
Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
The Microsoft Network is operated by Microsoft Corp. on behalf of Microsoft Network LLC.
For online information:
Visit the MSN Press Web site at (http://press.MSN.com/)
Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages.
