Air Farce returns for New Year’s Eve

From a media release:

NEW YEAR’S EVE 2009 – FARCE, BLADES & DRAGONS! AIR FARCE RETURNS AND THE TRADITION CONTINUES ON CBC-TV THURSDAY, DEC. 31, AT 8 P.M.

What’re you doing New Year’s Eve? That’s the question Kirstine Stewart, CBC Television’s general manager, asked Royal Canadian Air Farce.

After 17 New Year’s Eves, and some of the highest ratings ever scored for Canadian comedy, Stewart says, “Air Farce has always been the one to watch on Dec. 31—it just wouldn’t be the same without them.”

So, the Farce is getting together again, for one night only—Thursday, Dec. 31, at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT), on CBC Television—laughing out 2009 and laughing in 2010. And they’ll be in good company, with special guest appearances by Battle of the Blades champions, Olympic skater Jamie Salé and hockey great Craig Simpson. While Battle turned a hockey player into a figure skater, the Farce plans to flip it up with “The Luck of the Puck,” as Salé faces Simpson in a shootout.

Plus, the Farce will welcome the dragons of Dragons’ Den—Arlene Dickinson, Robert Herjavec, Jim Treliving, Kevin O’Leary and W. Brett Wilson—who will turn in a high-stakes comedy performance, as the Farce’s political characters pitch solutions for Canada’s economic crisis.

Video star Dave Carroll, the Nova Scotia singer/songwriter whose true ballad “United Breaks Guitars” became a YouTube sensation this year, will take musical shots at the highs and lows of 2009, from Jian Ghomeshi’s radio encounter with Billy Bob Thornton to Susan Boyle’s vocal breakout.

A year ago, on New Year’s Eve, Air Farce took its final flight, and stepped away from their weekly Friday night comedy and satire series after 16 seasons on CBC-TV. The Donut Shop went to the CBC Museum, the Chicken Cannon was dismantled and de-registered, the wigs, costumes and props all went to new homes. So, expect an even more smashing new target-seeker of the “Zeroes & Heroes of 2009,” plus fresh features and fun as the Farce updates the act and kicks off the second decade of the 21st Century.

Air Farce New Year’s Eve – Thursday, Dec. 31, at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT), on CBC Television. Starring Roger Abbott, Don Ferguson, Luba Goy, Jessica Holmes, Craig Lauzon, Alan Park and Penelope Corrin.