JULIAN ROUAS PARIS

Thursday nights are a little funnier at The Loft's Comedy Night. Each week this stylish venue brings two professional acts to its cozy stage. Acts range from up and coming newbies to seasoned performers from big national venues.

For five dollars, audiences can choose between an 8:00 and 10:00 show. The earlier show typically runs on schedule and would be better suited for a first date. The second show is more raucous, and the performers are more apt to improvise.

It's a good idea to call ahead for reservations. The shows often fill up quickly, so give them a ring earlier in the evening to ensure seats for your entire party.

While you're there, be sure to enjoy the cozy bar. Christmas lights twinkle from the ceiling, and you can choose a bar stool, table, or booth. In the back are pool tables, but be prepared to walk outside if you're a smoker. The Loft is the only smoke free venue in the Uptown district.

Comedy, drink, and atmosphere combine to make for a charmingly entertaining evening with just enough edginess and laughter. The Loft has been doing this for ten years, so leave it to the pros and enjoy yourself!

As had been expected, Comedy Central’s The Sarah Silverman Program has been canceled after three seasons, Deadline is reporting, in spite of a Twitter campaign launched to save the show. The future of the series looked to be in jeopardy when the network moved the series from 10:30 p.m. to midnight midway through the third season, which ended last month. Hopefully Silverman - who scored a lead actress Emmy nomination for the show last year - will be able to find solace in the buzz from her just-released book, her upcoming movie role and, of course, Matt Damon.

NEW YORK — Having already caused a fuss this spring with the depiction of the prophet Muhammad on "South Park," Comedy Central said Thursday that it has a cartoon series about Jesus Christ in the works.

"JC" is one of 23 potential series the network said it has in development. It depicts Christ as a "regular guy" who moves to New York to "escape his father's enormous shadow."

His father is presented as an apathetic man who would rather play video games than listen to his son talk about his new life, according to Comedy Central's thumbnail sketch of the idea. Reveille, the production company behind "The Office," "Ugly Betty" and "The Biggest Loser," is making "JC."

It wouldn't be the first time Jesus Christ has been on a Comedy Central cartoon; he's a recurring character on the long-running "South Park."

Comedy Central was the target last month of an Internet threat for a "South Park" episode that supposedly showed Islam's prophet in a bear costume.

Whenever "South Park" features Muhammad in an episode, Comedy Central obscures the character with a black box; Muslims consider any physical representation of their prophet to be blasphemous. Following the Internet threat, Comedy Central angered "South Park" producers by editing out a character's speech about intimidation in a subsequent episode.

"It's not certain what is more despicable: the nonstop Christian bashing featured on the network, or Comedy Central's decision to censor all depictions of Muhammad," said William Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Civil and Religious Rights.

Comedy Central wouldn't comment on Donohue's statement, said network spokesman Tony Fox, who declined to give further details about "JC."

A development deal is a couple of steps ahead of a series making it to air and, in fact, most such deals don't result in series. The network would have to like the scripts enough to produce a test episode, then like that enough to put it on the air.

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