When Karl didn’t see it coming

Dr Mumbo found himself somewhat surprised to find ABC star Tom Gleeson joining the Today Show team at the desk this morning.

Clearly there was no risk involved in that.

Just a chance to let him spruik his Hard Chat segment from The Weekly

It’s not as if he’d do anything awkward – like bring up host and previous Hard Chat victim Karl Stefanovic’s relationship difficulties on his first day back on air after that mysterious absence.

Watch the video (and Dr Mumbo apologises if it autoplays on you – blame 9Now):

So it was fun for the viewer to watch the decision-making process apparent on Gleeson’s face as he weighed up whether to swing at Stefanovic’s question. “I always find it fascinating to watch you when you really go for that jugular on someone and they don’t know…” began Karl.

“Like they don’t see it coming…?” clarified Gleeson.

Slightly embarrassing for them, isn’t it?” said Stefanovic, who couldn’t see it coming.

“Like I could do that for you right now, Karl. I reckon we should have a second session actually, now you’re back in the papers…” said Gleeson, followed by a wonderful moment of dead air followed by audible intakes of breath from co-hosts Lisa Wilkinson and Sylvia Jeffreys.

“I reckon we’d have a lot to chat about,” continued Gleeson.

By which point Stefanovic opted to stop using actual sentences and instead make the sound of a reversing heavy good vehicle.

“You opened the goal and I just kicked it right through. That’s what happened there,” explained Gleeson.

By the time he moved onto reminding the hosts the Today audience is so old they like afternoon naps, it felt like a relief. Dr Mumbo suspects he won’t be invited back any time soon.