Comedian Tom Gleisner reflects on his beloved sketch comedy series Thank God You’re Here… and reveals why he decided to end it after just three years
Eleven years after it went off air, Tom Gleisner has explained what prompted him to end his improvisational comedy series, Thank God You’re Here.
Appearing on Ed Kavalee’s podcast EKP last week, the 57-year-old comedian and one of the creators reflected on the popular series.
The beloved comedy featured a rotating roster of comedians, who would have to improvise their way through an often ridiculous scenario.
End of an era: Eleven years after it went off air, Tom Gleisner has explained what prompted him to end his improvisational comedy series, Thank God You’re Here. Pictured at the Network Ten Upfronts in Sydney in November 2017
Tom said they ‘loved’ making the show, but decided to end it because they were worried the comedians would get tired.
‘To be honest, the only reason we stopped was… we didn’t want to overuse the people we loved,’ he explained.
He then rattled off a list of the show’s regular performers, including comedians Shaun Micallef, Angus Sampson, Julia Zemiro and Cal Wilson, describing them all as ‘fantastic’.
Put on the spot: The beloved comedy series featured a rotating roster of comedians, who would have to improvise their way through an often ridiculous scenario
‘We got to the point where we thought, we didn’t know if there were too many other people out there who could do it… and we didn’t want to get the point where we went, “Oh, God. Not Angus Sampson again,”‘ he continued.
‘So that was probably the main reason why we thought, you know what, I think we’re done.’
Ed, 40, also featured on the show, which ran from 2006 until 2009, and said it was where he first met Tom.
Beginning of a beautiful working relationship: Comedian Ed Kavalee (centre) also featured on the show, which ran from 2006 until 2009, and said it was where he first met Tom (right). Pictured with Sam Pang (left) at the Network Ten Upfronts in Melbourne in November 2016
The two still work together today, with both currently appearing on Have You Been Paying Attention?
Despite it being an improvisational show, Tom said they deliberately avoided casting comedians who were experienced in improvisation.
Ed said appearing on the show was one of his ‘all-time favourite jobs’, and insisted the humour still holds up today.
‘To be honest, the only reason we stopped was… we didn’t want to overuse the people we loved,’ he explained. Pictured at the Logie Awards on the Gold Coast in June 2019