Tommy Blacha

Lore & Background

Blacha began his career as a local Chicago comedy writer, where he met Andy Richter. Richter helped him secure a job with the Conan O'Brien show in 1993, where he worked until 1999 writing bit pieces and developing characters such as 'Gaseous Wiener' and 'PimpBot5000'. After leaving, he joined WWE in 1999 as a writer, contributing to plotlines and appearing in bit parts, including being slammed into a table by wrestler Kane and participating in the delivery of Mae Young's hand baby, voted Monday Night Raw's worst moment. During this time, he also worked on TV Funhouse, writing and voicing characters Hank and Whiskers, and writing the 'Black Sabbath' segment for the series.

In 2004, Blacha moved on to write for Andy Richter Controls the Universe, Da Ali G Show, and serve as head writer for Late World with Zach and The Orlando Jones Show. He met Brendon Small and developed Metalocalypse, which aired on Adult Swim in August 2006. He co-wrote many episodes of the first two seasons, co-directed the episode 'Dethstars,' and contributed as a writer on some season three episodes in addition to voicing his characters.

Reader's Guide

Tommy Blacha's career spans comedy writing, voice acting, and production across television and professional wrestling. His early work on Late Night with Conan O'Brien established him as a writer of absurd characters, which he later applied to animated series. His tenure at WWE as Creative Director during a transitional period placed him at the center of controversial moments, such as the hand baby segment. Blacha's collaboration with Brendon Small on Metalocalypse produced a cult-favorite animated series that showcased his voice acting range and writing. His later role as showrunner for Super Giant Robot Brothers indicates continued influence in adult animation. Blacha's work reflects a blend of sketch comedy, wrestling storytelling, and heavy metal culture, contributing to niche but memorable television moments.

Did You Know?

• Blacha was slammed into a table by wrestler Kane while playing a medic in a WWE bit part.
• He participated in what was voted Monday Night Raw's worst moment: the delivery of Mae Young's hand baby.
• He co-wrote and directed episodes of Metalocalypse, including 'Dethstars' and 'Dethgov'.
• In June 2021, he was announced as showrunner for the Netflix series Super Giant Robot Brothers.

From Chicago Sketches to Late-Night Television

Tommy Blacha's path into television comedy began in the local Chicago scene, where he honed his craft as a writer and crossed paths with Andy Richter. That connection proved pivotal: Richter secured him a position on the Conan O'Brien show in 1993, launching a six-year stint that shaped his professional identity. During those years, Blacha focused on crafting bit pieces and developing memorable recurring characters, most notably the absurd "Gaseous Wiener" and the robotic "PimpBot5000." His work on the show ran through 1999, a period that established him as a creative force in late-night television. The experience of building outlandish characters from scratch within the constraints of a live late-night format gave him a distinctive comedic voice—one that blended physical absurdity with sharp writing. This foundation in character-driven sketch comedy would echo through every subsequent project he undertook, from wrestling storylines to animated rock-opera series, as he consistently gravitated toward creating vivid, larger-than-life personalities rather than relying on straightforward narrative.

Wrestling Storylines and Animated Satire

In 1999, Blacha took a surprising turn into professional wrestling, joining WWE as a Creative Director alongside Brian Gewirtz after Vince Russo and Ed Ferrara departed the company. His role involved devising new plotlines and story arcs for the promotion, a position that also thrust him into on-screen bit parts. One memorable incident saw him, playing a medic during a match, get slammed into a table by wrestler Kane. He also found himself at the center of what was voted Monday Night Raw's worst moment—the delivery of Mae Young's "hand baby." Simultaneously, Blacha was contributing to Comedy Central's TV Funhouse, the series built around Saturday Night Live animated shorts. He served on the writing team, provided voices for characters Hank and Whiskers, and is credited as a producer on the show. Among his standout contributions were the infamous "Black Sabbath" cartoon and the "Stedman: Secret Agent" sketch, the latter a sharp skewer of Oprah Winfrey created in collaboration with Andy Breckman. This period showcased his range, moving fluidly between wrestling narratives and animated satire.

Co-Creating and Inhabiting Metalocalypse

The most defining chapter of Blacha's career began around 2004, when he met musician and animator Brendon Small and the two started developing a concept that would become Metalocalypse. Adult Swim picked up the project in 2005, and the series premiered in August 2006. Blacha's involvement was deeply hands-on: he co-wrote every episode of the first and second seasons alongside Small, and he directed two episodes, "Dethstars" and "Dethgov." Beyond writing and directing, he brought his voice-acting talents to the show, voicing multiple characters including Toki Wartooth, William Murderface, Dr. Rockso, and numerous others. This multi-hat approach—writer, director, and voice performer simultaneously—gave the series a cohesive creative vision rooted in his comedic instincts. For the third and fourth seasons, Blacha stepped back from the production side but continued to return to the recording booth to bring his characters to life. Metalocalypse became his most widely recognized work, cementing his reputation as a creator who could build an entire world and inhabit it through multiple voices.

Restless Projects and a Career in Motion

Between his major projects, Blacha's career kept shifting in unexpected directions. In 2002 and 2003, he spent time in Las Vegas promoting mixed martial arts and pro wrestling events, and he even attempted to expand that promotional work into Japan and Russia. By 2004, he had re-entered the television writing world, contributing to Andy Richter Controls the Universe, Da Ali G Show, Late World with Zach (where he served as head writer), and The Orlando Jones Show. This period of prolific writing across multiple shows demonstrated his versatility as a comedic voice. In more recent years, Blacha has maintained a presence in the podcasting world, serving as a recurring guest and co-host on Ten Minute Podcast since mid-2015. His most recent major credit came in June 2021, when it was announced that he would serve as showrunner for Super Giant Robot Brothers, a Netflix original animated series that was released in 2022. From Chicago comedy clubs to global streaming platforms, Blacha's career has been defined by a restless willingness to chase the next creative challenge.