NZ On Air's June funding allocations means more Kiwi comedy will be coming to a screen near you. Four series - two returning, two new - have been given support, including a sketch comedy series called A Thousand Apologies, which addresses the diversity of the Asian experience in New Zealand. A satire series that follows the trials and tribulations of TV presenter Jaquie Brown has also been given the green light.NZ On Air's June funding allocations means more Kiwi comedy will be coming to a screen near you. Four series - two returning, two new - have been given support, including a sketch comedy series called A Thousand Apologies, which addresses the diversity of the Asian experience in New Zealand. A satire series that follows the trials and tribulations of TV presenter Jaquie Brown has also been given the green light.NZ On Air Chief Executive Jane Wrightson described A Thousand Apologies as "Naughty, but very funny," and said The Jaquie Brown Diaries will "feature real television and media personalities, playing distorted versions of their own personas - blurring the lines between fantasy and reality".

Both of these series were funded from NZ On Air's Innovation fund.

A second series of the satirical political comedy The Pretender has also been supported, and Moon TV Network will see the Moon TV comedy team back in action.

"These are both great television shows that have found a ready and dedicated audience," Ms Wrightson said. "It'll be good to see them back on screen.

"The standard of the proposals we've been looking at, and the range of ideas that are coming through, have convinced us that local comedy is certainly alive and well."

29/6/07