HBO loads up on laughs

By Nellie Andreeva

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - HBO did some serious holiday shopping the past two days.

On Thursday, the pay cable network picked up to series a pair of male-centered comedies: "How to Make It in America" and "Bored to Death." They follow the Wednesday series order for "Hung," a comedy starring Thomas Jane as a well-endowed high school basketball coach.

"How to Make It in America" revolves a pair of enterprising twentysomethings (played by Bryan Greenberg, Victor Rasuk) who hustle their way through New York determined to achieve the American dream. Shannyn Sossamon and Scott "Kid" Mescudi co-starred in the pilot.

"Bored to Death" stars Jason Schwartzman as a struggling thirtysomething Brooklyn writer with a drinking problem who, after a painful breakup with his girlfriend, decides to emulate his heroes from the novels of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. He takes out an ad pretending to be a private detective and starts taking cases, solving some and making others worse. Ted Danson and Zach Galifianakis co-starred in the pilot.

HBO has not yet made a decision on several other pilots, including the comedies "Washingtonienne" and "Suburban Shootout" and the drama "Treme."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter