Comedy Central renews 'Lil' Bush'

Animated show returns with 10 episodes

By STEVEN ZEITCHIK

Comedy Central's political spoof "Lil Bush" will return to the cabler's sked with new episodes in the spring.

Comedy Central has renewed animated political skein "Lil' Bush" for a second season while bumping up its episode order.

The comedy, which spoofs the administration by imagining personalities such as George Bush and Condoleezza Rice as cartoonish children, will return for 10 episodes when it comes back in the spring.

Net hopes to tap into election year heat; programming topper Lauren Corrao noted the "timely subject matter."

Cabler did not say if the show would encompass other personalities as the country readies for a new administration.

"Lil' Bush," which originated as a series of shorts on now-defunct mobile firm Amp'd, debuted on Comedy Central in June and aired for six episodes.

The Donick Cary show drew respectable ratings, luring an average of 1.7 million total viewers. More important for the net, it hit many of the young demos Comedy Central wants to reach. It drew about 1 million adults 18-49, and men 18-34 comprised one-quarter of its audience.

Renewal continues the net's move into scripted material. Comedy Central is set to launch the second season of "The Sarah Silverman Show" this week.

Also Monday, the net announced it has renewed "Mind of Mencia" for a fourth season. The frank-talking comedian, whose show pulled in about 1.5 million average viewers in the most recent season, will return in the spring.