John Fugelsang Gets a Soft Launch on Current TV With Weekly Series

Current TV acquisition John Fugelsang makes his formal debut on the network later this week -- though not with the nightly outing he's been developing since August.

The network announced Monday that John Fugelsang: So That Happened debuts on the schedule Friday, Oct. 5, at 6 and 9 p.m. A new weekly look at news and pop culture, Current describes the hour-long series as a "precursor" to Fugelsang's nightly outing that will premiere later this year.

"First I would like to thank Joy Behar, whom I admire enormously, for occasionally letting me sit in her chair," the frequent Current TV substitute said in the announcement of his new show. "Viewers have come to expect the unexpected from her show and we believe that So That Happened will have the same kind of tone and irreverence while discussing what I believe to be some very serious and substantive topics."

Mystery Science Theater 3000 alum Frank Conniff will serve as head writer and frequent contributor to So That Happened.