Comedy Awards returning to New York City

Comedy elite like David Letterman, Eddie Murphy, Bill Murray, Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Will Ferrell, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and Louis C.K. turned out for last year's inaugural Comedy Central Comedy Awards, and the network has announced the show will return to New York in 2012.

The second annual Comedy Awards show will tape at the Hammerstein Ballroom on April 28, and debut on the network on May 6.

Nominees for the awards will be selected by the awards' board of directors -- which includes Chris Rock, James Burrows, Don Rickles, Joan Rivers, Colbert, Stewart, Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, Conan O'Brien and Ray Romano.

Winners will be voted on by 1,500 members of the comedy community, which includes performers, writers, directors, producers and comedians, while fans will nominate and cast votes for online-only awards categories.

Last year's winners included Modern Family as best comedy TV series, Alec Baldwin as best TV actor for 30 Rock, The Other Guys as best comedy film, Louis C.K.: Hilarious as best stand-up special and the network's own Daniel Tosh as breakthrough performer.

As much as I'd like to brag that we rig this in favor of our friends, the truth is probably more gratifying to the winners -- they are chosen by a massive voting body of their comedy peers, Kent Alterman, head of original programming and production for Comedy Central, said.