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ABC’s Tgif programming block had viewers hoping for Friday nights to watch their favorite sitcom.

Over the years, many people believed the acronym stood for “Thank God It’s Friday.” However, in a new interview, Jim Janicek, who help create the programming block, clarified that the letters stood for “Thank Goodness It’s Funny.”

“We were talking about things like the ‘Friday Fun Club,'” Janicek said on Pod Meets World about the names they considered before Tgif. “There’s a whole list somewhere I probably could dig up, but I remember that one. You know, ‘It’s Friday Night.’ Lots of little short-isms.”

Janicek recalled that the network’s executives were initially worried that using Tgif would cause problems with a chain of restaurants.

“We did our first animation, which kinda was more childlike, with a little mouse called Friday the Mouse. We were animating that with a guy...

Palm Royale on Apple TV+ features Ricky Martin in his first TV role in six years, showcasing his range as an actor beyond his music career. The series is set in a wealthy Palm Beach country club in 1969, with elements of mystery and intrigue reminiscent of The White Lotus. Martin's previous role in American Crime Story earned him an Emmy nomination, showing his ability to tackle diverse characters with depth.

Palm Royale, Apple TV+’s new miniseries, features singer, dancer, and actor Ricky Martin in his first television role in six years. Martin joins the talented Palm Royale cast that includes Kristen Wiig, Allison Janney, Carol Burnett, Laura Dern, and more. Though Martin is perhaps most recognizable for his music, which includes the 1999 dance hit “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” he began acting early in his career. Martin, 52, began his performing career at age 12 as a member of the Puerto Rican...

Richard Moll, best known as the towering bailiff “Bull Shannon” on the long-running NBC sitcom Night Court, died Oct. 26 at his home in Big Bear Lake, Calif. He was 80 and no cause was given by his family.

Standing 6’8″, Moll was a character actor, but worked steadily during his career. Night Court ran from 1984 to 1992, and his commanding presence, deep voice, and endearing manner drew the frequent attention of casting directors.

After Night Court, Moll landed a recurring role on the sitcom Getting By, starring Cindy Williams, before appearing in an episode of the cult sci-fi hit Babylon 5. He also voiced the bodyguard to the title character of the animated Mighty Max.

His Night Court stint also enabled him to branch out into larger films and voiceover work on animated series, where he often relished the chance to play the bad guy. Moll was...

Actor Richard Moll died Thursday at his home in Big Bear Lake, Calif. He was 80.

The deep-voiced, 6 foot 8 inch actor was best known for the role of the bailiff Bull Shannon in “Night Court,” co-starring Harry Anderson and John Larroquette, from 1984 to 1992.

Moll was nominated for a Saturn award for the 1985 horror movie “House.” He voiced the role of Harvey Dent/Two-Face on “The Adventures of Batman & Robin,” as well as Scorpion on “Spider-Man: The Animated Series. He also had parts in “The Flintstones,” “Jingle All the Way,” “Casper Meets Wendy” and “Scary Movie 2.”

He had a recurring role on sitcom “Getting By” starring Cindy Williams and voiced the bodyguard in “Mighty Max.”

Moll went on to appear in the 1999 satire “But I’m a Cheerleader” with Natasha Lyonne, in which he played a gay man who shepherded teenagers sent to a re-education camp by parents who suspected they were homosexual.

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!" These are the immortal words that begin the song "Making Our Dreams Come True," the catchy tune used as the theme song of the popular series, "Laverne & Shirley." Cindy Williams, the actress who played the perky and positive albeit meek Shirley Feeney, has sadly joined her co-star Penny Marshall, passing away at the age of 75. Williams' children Zak and Emily Hudson confirmed the passing with the Associated Press following a brief illness.

"The passing of our kind, hilarious mother, Cindy Williams, has brought us insurmountable sadness that could never truly be expressed," the statement said. "Knowing and loving her has been our joy and privilege. She was one of a kind, beautiful, generous, and possessed a brilliant sense of humor and a glittering spirit that everyone loved." While Williams' Shirley didn't possess the monogrammed "L" like Laverne,...

Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!

Everyone of a certain age remembers the kickoff of the Laverne & Shirley theme song, and today, we imagine Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams singing from the heavenly skies once again.

Cindy Williams died today at 75 after a brief illness.

Williams is best known for her work on Laverne & Shirley, but she had over 80 movie and TV roles during her career.

Her first credit was in 1970, but it was her role as Laurie in American Graffiti in 1973 that got people talking.

She starred opposite Ron Howard and would later be cast as Shirley Feeney on Happy Days, in which he had the starring role, which led to the spinoff Laverne & Shirley.

While she did have other movie roles, such as in The Conversation with Gene Hackman, Williams was a TV personality.

Before being cast in Laverne & Shirley, Williams walked through television history on shows like Room 222,...

Cindy Williams, who starred alongside Penny Marshall on the hit ABC sitcom Laverne & Shirley, has died at the age of 75.

“The passing of our kind, hilarious mother, Cindy Williams, has brought us insurmountable sadness that could never truly be expressed,” her children Zak and Emily Hudson said in a statement to the Associated Press. “Knowing and loving her has been our joy and privilege. She was one of a kind, beautiful, generous and possessed a brilliant sense of humor and a glittering spirit that everyone loved.”

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Sad news today as it was announced that Cindy Williams, best known for starring in Happy Days spin-off Laverne & Shirley, has died at the age of 75 after a brief illness.

In a statement released through a family spokesperson, Cindy Williams’ children Zak and Emily Hudson said, “The passing of our kind, hilarious mother, Cindy Williams, has brought us insurmountable sadness that could never truly be expressed. Knowing and loving her has been our joy and privilege. She was one of a kind, beautiful, generous and possessed a brilliant sense of humor and a glittering spirit that everyone loved.“

Cindy Williams first appeared as Shirley Feeney on Happy Days alongside Penny Marshall as Laverne DeFazio, and the choice was soon made to spin the characters off into their own series. Laverne & Shirley found the pals sharing a basement apartment in Milwaukee and working as bottle cappers for the Schotz brewery. The...

Cindy Williams, the beloved star of ’70s sitcom “Laverne & Shirley,” has died at age 75 after a brief illness, her children said in a statement on Monday.

Williams died Wednesday at her home in Los Angeles her children, Zak and Emily Hudson, said in a statement released through family spokeswoman Liza Crani, according to the Associated Press.

“The passing of our kind, hilarious mother, Cindy Williams, has brought us insurmountable sadness that could never truly be expressed,” the statement said. “Knowing and loving her has been our joy and privilege. She was one of a kind, beautiful, generous and possessed a brilliant sense of humor and a glittering spirit that everyone loved.”

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Lisa Loring, Original Wednesday on ‘The Addams Family,’ Dies at 64

The news of her death was also posted to her official site, with the message, “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Cindy Williams.

Time-travel series offer an always intriguing premise: What if?

Such shows rely on the butterfly effect. This is a phenomenon in which a small localized change in a complex system can have large effects elsewhere. And you can't find a much more complex system than the history of the world. What if you make a small change in the past? How will it affect the future?

On paper, Timeless sounds like a great idea. It's created by talented producers Eric Kripke (Supernatural) and Shawn Ryan (The Shield). It combines parts of Quantum Leap (jumping back to key points in history) and Sliders (a team format). Granted, Sliders was more inter-dimensional than time travel, but it still fits the what-if format.

Let's start with a simple overview of Timeless (no mean feat). Gabriel Flynn, a former Nsa asset, breaks into Mason Industries and steals a top-secret time-machine prototype and kidnaps the project director,...

If you were a child or a parent during the early '90s, there's a good chance that ABC's Tgif lineup graced your TV set. Remember Tgif? A two-hour block of family-friendly comedies that tried to make it seem fun staying in on Friday nights?

It officially debuted 25 years ago this month – on Sept. 22, 1989, with a lineup that included Perfect Strangers, Family Matters, Full House and Just the Ten of Us. And notably, it debuted four years before that other landmark '90s TV block, Must See TV.

The early promos are a trip, as they're both introducing the concept...

If you were a child or a parent during the early '90s, there's a good chance that ABC's Tgif lineup graced your TV set. Remember Tgif? A two-hour block of family-friendly comedies that tried to make it seem fun staying in on Friday nights? It officially debuted 25 years ago this month - on Sept. 22, 1989, with a lineup that included Perfect Strangers, Family Matters, Full House and Just the Ten of Us. And notably, it debuted four years before that other landmark '90s TV block, Must See TV. The early promos are a trip, as they're both introducing the...

Getting by with a little help from his famous friends, Jason DeRulo is plugging his new single “Talk Dirty” in a big way.

The “Whatcha Say” singer just released a new clip that features One Direction, Ariana Grande, Robin Thicke and even his fiancé Jordin Sparks lip synching his lyrics.

Also in the video are pop stars like Austin Mahone, Enrique Iglesias, Fifth Harmony, Bret Michaels, Pete Wentz, Will.i.am and Larry King, who previously proved his chops by reciting Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face.”

Jason’s new album is slated to hit stores next month, so in the meantime check out the celebrity lip synch rendition of “Talk Dirty!”

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There’s a part of me that really wanted to like How to Survive – and as it turns out, on a base level I do like it quite a bit. Mission accomplished! I’ve always had a soft spot for games that erect their memorable experiences as much from planned encounters as they do from things that randomly happen to one player but may never come close to occurring for another, and How to Survive is definitely a well-made and often hilarious bastion for exactly that sort of fluky and ever-fluctuating fun.

On the other hand, the zombie genre is tired – everybody knows this, and no matter how tongue-in-cheek your zombie-themed piece of consumable media may be, there are so many others available that it’s absolutely essential to do something unique. Though not a champion in this regard, How to Survive finds success where other zombie romps have failed...

Get ready to see a lot more Ricky Martin on your TV. The multi-talented singer has signed a talent holding deal with Universal Television to develop and star in his first network television series and specials.

“Ricky is an iconic superstar who is as talented as he is popular,” Bela Bajaria, executive vice president of Universal Television, said in a statement. "[He] connects with his audience in a very palpable way -- and we are thrilled that he will be adding TV star to his incredible resume."

Martin, who recently guest starred on "Glee," first made a splash on TV when he appeared on "General Hospital" in 1994. He's also guest starred on "The Love Boat" and "Getting By."

As of now, there is no word on any planned projects with Universal Television, which is the force behind "The Office," "Parks and Recreation," "Smash" and more TV shows.

Blue Like Jazz

Directed by: Steve Taylor

Cast: Marshall Allman, Claire Holt, Jason Marsden, Justin Welborn

Running Time: 1 hr 47 mins

Rating: PG-13

Release Date: April 13, 2012 (Chicago)

Plot: A young man (Allman) with extremely religious roots leaves his Southern Baptist bubble to enter the “most godless college in America,” located in Portland, Oregon. While there, he meets a political young girl (Holt) and a punk who dresses up as the pope (Welbern).

Who’S It For? If you’re tired of cheesy religious movies, or crazy people ruining the positive aspects of faith, this movie is definitely for you. That being said, it’s the rare type of religiously-focused movie that will give the Ned Flanders’ of America a true heart attack.

Overall

It’s not any type of revelation to say that a great deal of religious entertainment can be substandard to mainstream entertainment, and not just in the discussion of budget.

Everyone's talked ad nauseam about how the summer of 2011 is going to be a blockbuster bloodbath [1]. Week after week [2] of high concept, big budget sequels featuring superheroes, robots and wizards. But those aren't the only movies that'll be playing at your local theater during the long, hot months of May, June, July and August. A huge chunk of movies we reviewed in January at the Sundance Film Festival - from award winners [3] to our personal favorites [4] - are also finding their way into theaters during that time. As the heat quickly approaches, we've decided to highlight over 20 Sundance films that are scheduled to open opposite the traditional Hollywood fare. See images, read reviews and find release dates all below. Some of our favorite films [5], like Win Win [6], Cedar Rapids, I Saw the Devil [7] and Pom Wonderful Presents The Greatest Movie Ever Sold [8] are already out or coming out in the next week or two.