Yahoo launches online comedy channel

Yahoo! is adding a comedy channel to its online line-up, kicking it off with a "CrazyStupidPolitics" show starring Bill Maher live in Silicon Valley in February.

"Bill Maher's special is a groundbreaking event, not only for Yahoo! and Bill but for the Internet as the first ever, live, free broadcast online," said Erin McPherson, head of Yahoo! Video.

Channel offerings will include short videos from Saturday Night Live television show writer Mike O'Brien and others as well as content from partners including online hit Funny or Die.

"I'm excited to be doing something new in bringing a live stand up show to a Web giant like Yahoo!," Maher said in a statement. "It is my goal to make people say 'Oh no he di'int' in every medium on earth."

Take-over target Yahoo! has been trying to transform itself into a platform for personalized, premier digital content since the Internet pioneer was overtaken in the online search arena by Google.