ABC's 'TGIF' Did Not Stand for 'Thank God It's Friday' in the '90s, Creator Says. So, What Did It Mean?

Mar. 15, 2025

The cast of ‘Full House’ in 1992.Photo:ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

The popular 1990s Friday night programming block on ABC, fondly known as “TGIF,” was a staple in American households. But according to the man behind the concept, the acronym did not mean what you think it did.

Speaking toDanielle Fishel,Rider StrongandWill FriedleofBoy Meets Worldon their rewatch podcastPod Meets Worldon Monday, Feb. 17, producer Jim Janicek said “TGIF” did not, in fact, stand for “Thank God It’s Friday,” but “Thank Goodness It’s Funny.”

“We were talking about things like the ‘Friday Fun Club,’ " Janicek recalled, “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.”

Though there were concerns over the use of “TGIF” bothering the restaurant chain TGI Friday’s, network executives decided to go with it anyway.

The cast of ‘Boy Meets World’ in 1994.ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

“We were animating the open. And then [fellow ABC executives] Stu Brower and Bob Iger called and said, ‘We’ve landed on TGIF. We wanna call it TGIF.’ So that’s where we got the name, and we started animating those letters into the open and went from there,” Janicek continued. “Bob, I believe, came up with ‘Thank Goodness It’s Funny,’ to avoid any conflict with any restaurant.”

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Eventually with some patience — plus help with promotion from the talent and an ad sales strategy that benefited all four shows featured within the block at a given time — “TGIF” ultimately succeeded.

When asked why it stopped, Janicek didn’t have a solid answer; personnel changed and had different visions.

“I think they had gone, we’re kinda tired of this and, you know, maybe we should try something different,” he recalled.

But in its time, “It was a juggernaut,” Strong said. “It was amazing.”

source: people.com