Who is Franklin Caliendo? The entertainment and comedy world knows Frank Caliendo as an American comedian and impressionist, best known for his work on the Fox Network television series MADtv, and has been the in-house prognosticator for Fox NFL Sunday. In 2007 and 2008, he performed his impersonations on his own show, Frank TV, which aired on TBS. He is known for his impressions of Charles Barkley, NFL color commentator John Madden, sportscaster Jim Rome, comedian Robin Williams, actor William Shatner, and United States Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, and for his frequent appearances on The Bob & Tom Show. He has performed as many as 120 impressions. He currently has a show in Las Vegas.Biography
Early life and career
Caliendo was born January 19, 1974 in Chicago, Illinois, and was raised in Waukesha, Wisconsin, where he attended Waukesha South High School. He is of Italian ancestry.[2] After graduation from University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Caliendo began performing stand-up comedy, taking a job as a master of ceremonies at a local comedy club. Within a year he was headlining. He made his network series debut on the 2000-2001 sketch comedy series Hype. He gained significant national exposure on the comedy series MADtv.Caliendo has performed stand-up on such series as cable's Premium Blend, The Late Show with David Letterman, Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn, The View, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and Late Night with Conan O'Brien.
His signature 'John Madden' impression is frequently seen on Fox NFL Sunday, The Best Damn Sports Show Period and Mohr Sports. Caliendo has also appeared on Comedy Central's Comedy Central Presents, as well as many radio shows, including the WDVE Morning Show with Jim Krenn and Randy Bauman in Pittsburgh PA, The Dan Le Batard Show, The Junkies, Bob & Sheri, The Bob & Tom Show, Mike and Mike in the Morning, Opie and Anthony, The Don and Mike Show, Rise Guys, Bubba the Love Sponge, The John Boy and Billy Big Show, The Howard Stern Show, Mike and the Mad Dog, Elliot in the Morning, The Sports Inferno, The Rick and Bubba Show, The Roe Conn Show, Preston and Steve, The Glenn Beck Program, and Holmberg's Morning Sickness, and Lamont & Tonelli on 107.7 The Bone in San Francisco.
Frank TV
For two short seasons, Caliendo starred on Frank TV, his own sketch show on the TBS that began airing in November 2007. Frank was its host and performed in sketches in full makeup as characters he impersonated. Frank joked that he "wanted the show to be called The Chappelle Show [ sic ], but the lawyers wouldn't allow it," referring to the publicity he would likely receive from naming his show after another popular comedian.In early 2008, TBS announced that they ordered eight more episodes, which ran later that year.[3] The show ended after the fifteenth episode, which aired on December 23, 2008.
MADtv
Caliendo officially joined the cast of MADtv in 2001 as a repertory performer, for the seventh season, and as MADtv's equivalent to Saturday Night Live's Darrell Hammond. In 2002, Caliendo replaced Will Sasso as the impersonator of George W. Bush, but he won audience members over with an offbeat impersonation of former Fox sports announcer John Madden and also many other Fox personalities. Both became some of the cast member's most popular impressions on MADtv, and were featured quite prominently during his tenure. Frank also did the announcing for the best of scenes on the MADtv season 1 DVD, and the announcing for the Season 2 DVD release which was cancelled due to poor sales of the first season DVD.In August 2006, Caliendo announced he would not return to MADtv for its 2006-2007 season.
Fox NFL Sunday
On November 5, 2000, Caliendo appeared on Fox NFL Sunday, as a guest to comedian Jimmy Kimmel. He performed his increasingly noteworthy John Madden impression and was well-received. He returned again the same season on January 7 during the playoffs.In 2001 and 2002, Caliendo returned as a semi-regular guest on Fox NFL Sunday. He frequently appeared impersonating Madden or occasionally as pundit Jim Rome during some of Kimmel's prognostication skits. At times he appeared live in the studio with the main hosts.
In 2003, Kimmel departed the program, and Caliendo was named his permanent replacement. As the prognosticator for the NFL on Fox, he gives his predictions ("Cold Hard Picks") for the day's NFL games. Typically these come during a skit (usually a one-man skit), where he does one of his famous impersonations. For example, for the first week's Fox NFL Sunday of the 2006 NFL season, he impersonated James Brown, who left the show in the off-season to join The NFL Today on CBS. He also imitates the cast of Fox NFL Sunday on occasion, most frequently Terry Bradshaw.
The Comebacks
Caliendo appeared in the 2007 film The Comebacks. He impersonates John Madden and Al Michaels in the championship game between the Comebacks and The Unbeatables. His Character is "Chip Imitation".White House Correspondent's Dinner
Caliendo’s impression of President George W. Bush earned him an invitation to perform during the 2007 annual White House Correspondents Dinner.The Comedy Festival Presents: Funniest Movies of the Year 2008
During The Comedy Festival Caliendo hosted a special called The Comedy Festival Presents: Funniest Movies of the Year 2008 where, from Caesars Palace, Caliendo introduced the top ten list for funniest films of 2008 based on an Internet poll.Television and film appearances
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | The Comedy Festival Presents: Funniest Movies of the Year 2008 | Himself/Host | |
| Fox NFL Sunday | Various | 2000-present | |
| 2007 | The Comebacks | Chip Imitation | |
| The 2007 White House Correspondents Dinner | Himself | ||
| Frank TV | Host: Various | 2007-2008 | |
| Frank Caliendo; All Over the Place | Himself | ||
| 2005 | Mind of Mencia | George W. Bush | Voice Only |
| 2004 | Comedy Central Presents | Himself | |
| National Lampoon Live: New Faces - Volumes 1 & 2 | Himself/host | ||
| Wisconsin Born & Bred: The Entertainers | Himself | ||
| 2001 | MADtv | Himself-Various | Appeared in 117 Episodes (2001-2006) |
| Late Friday | Himself | ||
| 2000 | Hype | Himself-Various |
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