HBO sees the humour in FunnyorDie

US cablenet HBO has bought a stake in Hollywood comedy actor Will Ferrell’s FunnyorDie.com internet video venture.

As well as buying a small equity holding, believed to be less than 10%, HBO has commissioned 10 half-hours of programming from the website, the specifics of which are still to be worked out.

The deal could also see FunnyorDie-branded programming appearing on HBO offshoot channels, according to a report by Variety.

HBO’s interest in Ferrel’s site follows its own failed comedy website joint venture with AOL, This Just In, which fell by the wayside last year.

FunnyorDie.com was launched in 2006 by Ferrell and film and TV producers Adam McKay and Chris Henchy, with backing from venture capital shingle Sequoia Capital. It recently completed a second round of financing late last year that valued the company at about US$100m.