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Couch Potato: Evil has never been funnier

It’s always exciting when a new program premieres because it means that, somewhere, the wheels are turning. Every television venture seeks not only to entertain viewers in a momentary kind of sense but also to keep them coming back for more. If there is a better way to accomplish this than embarking on a televised quest to seek the answer to one of history’s most burning questions, then Comedy Central has no idea.

The ambitious task of serving as a sort of "ultimate decider" of things and people in our popular culture is left up to famously angry comedian Lewis Black, who is already something of a staple on the network. Naturally, the object of the program, Lewis Black’s Root of All Evil, is to, through much debate and laughter, come to a conclusion as to the age-old question at hand.

"There are hundreds of roots of evil," Black said. "If you’re watching comedy, if you think you’re gonna get some biblical revelation out of me, you’re on the wrong (channel). Turn to the Trinity Channel."

Every week, Black will have two comedians, who, like in a real-life trial setting, will present an argument for a pre-determined topic with the hope that it will be declared the root of all evil. However, unlike a real-life trial setting, there are no juries, no real ethics, no boundaries and there is certainly no judicial review.

"Sometimes, I (choose the winner I do) because I don’t like the way somebody debated," Black said. "Sometimes, I do it because I’m completely prejudiced toward one subject, and I won’t drop my prejudice because I don’t have to. I do it partly because one guy’s funnier than the other guy. And partly, it’s obvious."

After each party has presented its case, Lewis will perform his inquisition, where he probes each side one-on-one, and then asks each to speculate as to the long-term ramifications of allowing the "evil" to persist.

"If this evil is allowed to go unchecked, what will it mean?" Black said. "And that’s really some of the funniest stuff we do. It’s scripted improv."

Not only is the program about searching for truth in life or evaluating good and evil, Black assures that it is truly funny and a unique experience for viewers.

Root of All Evil debuts at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday on Comedy Central. Make sure to have your cell phone on hand as viewers will be able to throw in their 2 cents via text. Standard rates apply.

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