Comedy Central cuts Jeff Dunham

Compiled by DAVE ITZKOFF

Published: December 29, 2009- The New York Times Online

Achmed the Dead Terrorist has been all but buried on Comedy Central. Press representatives for the channel said on Tuesday that its hit series featuring that contentious puppet — not to mention Jeff Dunham, the man with a hand up his back — will not be picked up for a second season, confirming a report that appeared in The Hollywood Reporter. In an e-mail message, Comedy Central said, “We currently have no plans to produce a second season” of “The Jeff Dunham Show,” a half-hour comedy series featuring the titular ventriloquist that had its debut in October. The decision comes as a bit of a surprise given that “Jeff Dunham’s Very Special Christmas Special,” a performance shown on Comedy Central in 2008, is that channel’s most-viewed broadcast ever, drawing 6.6 million viewers, and that the premiere of “The Jeff Dunham Show” was watched by 5.3 million viewers. (Ratings for subsequent episodes declined to under two million viewers.) Comedy Central said it would continue to work with Mr. Dunham on a larger deal it signed with him this year, which includes a live tour, a standup special, DVDs and other products.