JEFF FOXWORTHY RETURNS TO WEEKLY TELEVISION IN NEW SERIES "FOXWORTHY’S BIG NIGHT OUT” PREMIERING FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

NASHVILLE – August 9, 2006 – His collar may still be blue, but comedian Jeff Foxworthy is headlining a new adventure with a new cast of friends and special guests in the 12 episode CMT sketch comedy series, FOXWORTHY’S BIG NIGHT OUT, premiering Friday, Sept. 1 at 8:30-9:00 p.m., ET/PT. Each week a different country artist will join Foxworthy for the ultimate in comedy and live musical performances, with Kenny Rogers kicking off the premiere episode. Country stars Trace Adkins, Billy Currington, Sara Evans, Pat Green, Jack Ingram, Montgomery Gentry, Joe Nichols, Blake Shelton, The Warren Brothers, Hank Williams Jr. and The Wreckers will also try out their comedic skills in the weekly half-hour show.

Taped in front of a live studio audience in Atlanta’s Alliance Theater, FOXWORTHY’S BIG NIGHT OUT also features a cast of comedians who morph into many characters for Foxworthy’s skits – series regulars Peter Oldring, Brooke Dillman, Sara Erickson and Shane Caldwell, with hypnotist Mark Sweet and comic Kathleen Madigan also making special appearances.
In the premiere episode, Kenny Rogers puts on a collar as he takes on the role of a preacher at the funeral for a woman who was hated by everyone in town. Rogers also takes on Foxworthy as a new duet partner for his hit “Islands in the Stream” and then sings his latest single, “The Last Ten Years.”
In the second episode, Sara Evans appears as a special guest on “Celebrity Deer Hunter,” a cable access show hosted by ne’er-do-well hunters Willy (Foxworthy) and Billy (Caldwell). While Evans tries to promote her latest single, Willy and Billy are more interested in getting Evans to promote their new hunting products. Evans also performs her new song “You’ll Always Be My Baby.”

The following is a list of upcoming episodes and guest country artists.*

9/1 - Kenny Rogers
9/8 - Sara Evans
9/15 - Trace Adkins
9/22 - Pat Green
9/29 - The Wreckers
10/6 - Joe Nichols
10/13 - Billy Currington
10/20 - Montgomery Gentry
10/27 - Warren Brothers
11/3 - Jack Ingram
11/10 - Blake Shelton
11/17 - Hank Jr.

Jeff Foxworthy is the largest selling comedy recording artist in history, a multiple Grammy Award nominee, and the best selling author of 20 books. He starred in and executive produced the television series “Blue Collar TV,” which he also created. The television show came about due to the success of “Blue Collar Comedy Tour: The Movie,” which has sold more than 4 million units. The sequel, “Blue Collar Comedy Tour Rides Again,” has exceeded 3.6 million units in sales. In March of 2006, the Blue Collar boys reunited to shoot “Blue Collar Comedy Tour: One for the Road” at the Warner Theater in Washington, D.C. His syndicated weekly radio show, “The Foxworthy Countdown,” is carried in more than 220 markets across the United States.

FOXWORTHY’S BIG NIGHT OUT is executive produced by Fax Bahr and Adam Small, of Bahr-Small Productions, whose credits include “In Living Color,” “Mad TV” and “Blue Collar TV.” Jeff Foxworthy serves as host, executive producer and writer. J.P. Williams, who also produced “Blue Collar TV,” numerous comedy specials, and several feature films, serves as executive producer. Paul Villadolid and John Fitzgerald serve as executive producers for CMT.
CMT, America’s No. 1 country music network, carries original programming, specials, and live concerts and events, as well as a mix of videos by established country music artists and new cutting-edge acts, including world premiere exclusive videos. Founded March 6, 1983, CMT, owned and operated by MTV Networks, reaches 83 million households in the United States. Go to country music’s biggest web site at CMT.com.