Will Ferrell to receive inaugural MTV 'comedic genius' honour
Former SNL caster, Funnyordie.com co-founder to be honoured in April
CBC News
Posted: Feb 28, 2013 3:10 PM ET
Last Updated: Feb 28, 2013 2:59 PM ET
Funnyman Will Ferrell, seen at right with Anchorman 2 co-star Kristen Wiig at the 2013 Golden Globe Awards, is the inaugural recipient of the MTV Comedic Genius Award. (Paul Drinkwater/NBC/Associated Press)
Offbeat actor Will Ferrell will be the inaugural recipient of a brand new MTV Movie Awards honour celebrating influential comedians.
The former Saturday Night Live cast member will receive the Comedic Genius Award this spring, MTV announced.
"Will Ferrell epitomizes what it means to be a comedic genius, and it's only fitting that he should be the inaugural recipient of this award,” MTV president Stephen Friedman said in a statement.
"Over the course of his extraordinary, 17-plus-year career, he has entertained audiences across the globe with an impressive array of laugh-out-loud performances on air, online and in films. Simply put, Will Ferrell is kind of a big deal."
Though he initially studied to be a sports broadcaster, Ferrell discovered his comedic talent and switched to comedy. He joined the influential West Coast improv troupe The Groundlings, whose alumni include Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Lisa Kudrow, Jon Lovitz and Paul Reubens.
He would join fellow former Groundlings of the era — like Chris Kattan, Phil LaMarr, Cheri Oteri and Julia Sweeney — when cast on long running TV sketch show Saturday Night Live in the mid-1990s.
After 2002, Ferrell focused on a film career that has included such comedy blockbusters as Elf, Anchorman, Step Brothers and Old School.
Co-creator of the influential and popular comedy site Funnyordie.com, Ferrell also starred in the one-man Broadway show You're Welcome America, a satirical examination of former U.S. president George W. Bush's administration based on the impersonation he had perfected on SNL.
Ferrell will receive the new award at the 2013 MTV Movie Awards ceremony, hosted by comedienne Rebel Wilson, on April 14. Nominations will be revealed on March 5.
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