Berkeley Systems to distribute Saturday Night Live screen entertainment collection; hilarious CD-ROM features 20 years of political humor

Business Wire, Jan 5, 1996

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 5, 1996--Berkeley Systems Inc. today announced a co-development agreement with Broadway Video Inc. and the National Broadcasting Corp. providing Berkeley Systems with exclusive distribution rights to the CD-ROM title, Saturday Night Live Goes Political.

This comprehensive screen entertainment package, including classic video clips and wacky games, features the political humor from the long-running, late-night comedy sketch series, Saturday Night Live. Shipping on "Super Tuesday" in mid-March, for Windows and Macintosh, Saturday Night Live Goes Political will have an estimated street price of $30.

"We are delighted to be working with Broadway Video Inc. and NBC," stated Chris York, Saturday Night Live Goes Political's producer. "With such rich material as Saturday Night Live's political sketches and the synergy of internal and external creative talent, we have an unbeatable combination."

Celebrating 20 years of outrageous political humor, from the original "not ready for prime-time players" through the much lampooned `92 elections, to the political machinations of `95, Saturday Night Live Goes Political contains more than hour of video and audio clips, along with hilarious SNL inspired games. Highlighting the political based caricatures, news briefs, sketches and commercials that have been part of the show's history, the CD-ROM has a ballot-box interface that allows users to navigate through seven categories: Presidents, Politicans, Elections, Timeline, The World, The Press and Games.

Fans of Saturday Night Live will enjoy clips of Dan Aykroyd as a paranoid Richard Nixon, Chevy Chase as a bumbling Gerald Ford, and Phil Hartman as a burger-craving President Clinton. Fans will also be able to relive classic SNL moments such as Dana Carvey in his parody of Ross Perot's infomercials on the economy and the budget deficit and the infamous satires of the 1988 and 1992 presidential debates.

Games on the CD-ROM include "Road to the White House," a Pac-Man-type game in which Clinton downs burgers and fries while trying to escape from Secret Service agents, and "Newt's House," a game in which players help Newt Gingrich pass as many bills as possible by swinging his gavel as bills move quickly across his desk. Parodies of top journalists, world leaders, and members of first families are also included.

With such high-profile entertainment titles as The Disney Collection Screen Saver, The Looney Tunes Screen Saver, and Star Trek: The Next Generation Screen Saver, Berkeley Systems has a proven track record of successful licensing relationships. Berkeley's latest product, YOU DON'T KNOW JACK, is developed in cooperation with Jellyvision, a Chicago-based producer of educational films. This partnership has produced one of the hottest new game titles to hit the market his year. An irreverent quiz show game with a decidedly wacky bent, YOU DON'T KNOW JACK is a fast-paced mix of traditional and pop-culture references that makes for an adrenaline-pumping gaming experience.

Founded in 1987, Berkeley Systems Inc. is most recognized for its widely popular, award-winning After Dark and other animated screen savers, such as the Totally Twisted After Dark Screen Saver. The company has since diversified its catalog of entertainment titles with Expresso Calendar and Address Book, Launch Pad, Kid-Safe Desktop and Triazzle Living Puzzles. Berkeley also recently released a new pop-culture party game, YOU DON'T KNOW JACK. Berkeley Systems' online presence expanded this year with the creation of Toasted, Berkeley's home page on the World Wide Web, located at http://www.berksys.com. -0-

Note to Editors: For more information contact Monica Granados or DeEtte Christie at 510/540-5535 or pr@berksys.com. Additional information on Berkeley Systems and its portfolio of products is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.berksys.com.

CONTACT: Berkeley Systems Inc.

Monica Granados or DeEtte Christie, 510/540-5535