'Thank God You're Here' Welcomes Takei

George Takei (Sulu) plans to follow up a recurring role on Heroes with another project for NBC: the improv comedy show Thank God You're Here.

Takei, who is an announcer and sometime guest on Howard Stern's radio show, will be a guest on Thank God You're Here, a new series hosted by In Living Color's David Alan Grier, according to The Futon Critic. The series will debut in Heroes' spot on on Monday, April 9th at 9 p.m. after Deal or No Deal before moving to a regular time slow on Wednesdays at 8.

Thank God You're Here, which originated in Australia, allows four performers each week to show off their improvisational skills, entering into sketches with no more preparation than a change of wardrobe. There are no scripts or characters given to the actors in advance. The series is taped in front of a live audience. Other guests besides Takei will include Fred Willard, Tom Arnold, Fran Drescher and Jason Alexander.

Zap2It noted that the network hopes that airings on two consecutive Monday nights after the successful Deal or No Deal will bring in some of the usual Heroes audience before the new show moves to Wednesday. Heroes will return later in April.

Humor is hardly new to Takei, who has took part in last year's roast of William Shatner (Kirk). Recently he filmed a "public service announcement" for Jimmy Kimmel Live, responding to basketball player Tim Hardaway's anti-gay comments, saying that "as a gay man and a human being, I was shocked and saddened", then joking that Takei and other gay men liked Hardaway's long calves and sweaty head. The Daily Reel has footage from Kimmel's show.

StarTrek.com reported that Takei attended the Oscars, wearing traditional Japanese formal attire in tribute to his recurring role on Heroes. He and partner Brad Altman joined fellow Star Trek alumni Ed Begley, Jr. (Henry Starling) and Kirsten Dunst (Hedril).

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