TGIF: Thank Goodness It’s Funny, Not Friday!
Ah, the nostalgia of Friday night sitcoms! We all remember piling on the couch waiting for ABC’s beloved TGIF lineup, but did you ever find yourself second-guessing what “TGIF” really stood for? Spoiler alert: it’s not what you thought! In a recent chat on the podcast “Pod Meets World,” Jim Janicek, one of the masterminds behind the iconic programming block, set the record straight: TGIF stands for “Thank Goodness It’s Funny,” not the long-accepted “Thank God It’s Friday.”
Janicek shared that while brainstorming names, they tossed around playful phrases like “Friday Fun Club” and “It’s Friday Night,” ultimately landing on TGIF to avoid any pesky trademark clashes with the TGIF restaurant chain. Adding a little sprinkle of humor, he elaborated on how during the animation phases, they even created a character named Friday the Mouse, aimed at capturing the essence of family fun on Friday nights.
The original TGIF block kicked off in the fall of 1989, and it was a game changer! Remember the lineup? “Full House,” “Family Matters,” and “Perfect Strangers” lit up our screens, with various stars popping in to host each week. TGIF wasn’t just entertainment; it was a cultural moment that redefined Friday evenings for a generation. And let’s not forget that the original run of TGIF sailed smoothly until the end of the 1999-2000 TV season, filled with shows beloved by many, like “Boy Meets World” and “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch.”
Even after its first ending, TGIF continued to attempt a comeback with varying success, including a revival in 2003 and another shot in 2018 featuring “Fresh Off the Boat.” However, nostalgia can only last so long, and these attempts did not quite capture the magic of that original lineup.
In 2023, nostalgia continues to bring new audiences as they discover this Saturday-night ritual, but with Jim Janicek’s revelation, you might want to swap out your Friday cheer with a good laugh instead! TGIF may not mean what you thought, but it certainly brought families together for some quality viewing.
Sources: Celebrity Storm Wire and Deadline, Variety, Entertainment Weekly
