TVSquad

Harland Williams was the only funny thing about Monday night's episode of Thank God You're Here. And he was so damn funny that my abs got a workout as I laughed my way through his entire improved scene. Unlike the other players, who waited to see what the stage actors had planned for them, Harland walked into the scene and took control.

Harland got a little dirty near the end (improv ain't funny 'less it's dirty, folks) and NBC censored him several times. In fact, the very end of his scene had a joke completely edited out because the censors apparently couldn't make it fly by just bleeping him. Did anyone else find it interesting that the censors left in references to drugs, but edited out the sexual references?

The edited portion of his scene is in this video. And the uncensored version of another part of his scene is here. Both videos are also after the jump.

Fake news must be Comedy Central's bread-and-butter these days. The network has no fewer than three fake news shows: The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, and The Showbiz Show with David Spade. Now it's considering a fourth faux news program for its lineup. This time, it's The Chocolate News, starring David Alan Grier.

David Alan Grier is one of the funniest comedians out there right now, but nothing ever seems to stick for him. He was hilarious on Bonnie Hunt's short-lived show, Life With Bonnie, and on In Living Color back in the early 1990s. Mostly, though, he just plays great supporting roles or guest stars on current television shows.

Grier is currently rounding up writers and other talent to appear in the pilot he's pitching to Comedy Central. He has also agreed to host a new improv show on NBC this spring called Thank God You're Here.

[Via TV Tattle]

NBC has ordered six episodes of celebrity improv competition Thank God You're Here. The series, which was originally produced in Australia, is being described as Whose Line is it Anyway? meets Let's Make a Deal. Celebrity guests will choose one of several doors to open. Behind each door, a comedy sketch they know nothing about is being performed. Whether they stumble into an operating room, a motorcycle race or an undersea adventure, they'll be greeted by the line, "Thank God you're here!" From that point, the celeb is on his or her own. Their performances will be judged by Kids in the Hall alum Dave Foley and host David Alan Grier.

NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly started his network's portion of the TCA press tour by announcing full-season renewals for four shows: My Name Is Earl, Heroes, Law & Order: SVU, and The Office. This means all four shows will be back for new seasons in the fall. Reilly called those shows, and a number of others, "tent posts" that he thinks will bring the network back to a much stronger position than it has been in recent years.

In other news, Reilly announced the pickup of a new improv pilot called Thank God You're Here, where improv comics will don a costume unknown to them, enter a scene, and attempt to improvise through it. It will be hosted by David Alan Grier, and the improv comic's skills will be "judged" by Dave Foley. Where does the name of the show come from? Well, when the comic enters with his costume on, the other comics in the scene will say, "Thank God You're Here!" Clever, ain't it?

More on the executive session later today.