Frank Caliendo Jr. (born January 19, 1974) is an American
comedian,
actor
An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...
and
impressionist, best known for his impersonations on the
Fox Network
The Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly known simply as Fox and stylized in all caps as FOX, is an American commercial broadcast television network owned by Fox Corporation and headquartered in New York City, with master control operations ...
television
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...
series
Series may refer to:
People with the name
* Caroline Series (born 1951), English mathematician, daughter of George Series
* George Series (1920–1995), English physicist
Arts, entertainment, and media
Music
* Series, the ordered sets used in ...
''
MADtv
''Mad TV'' (stylized as ''MADtv'') is an American sketch comedy television series originally inspired by ''Mad (magazine), Mad'' magazine. In its initial run, it aired on Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox from 1995 to 2009. After a one-off reuni ...
'', and as the in-house
prognosticator for ''
Fox NFL Sunday
''Fox NFL Sunday'' is an American sports television program broadcast on the Fox television network. The show debuted on September 4, 1994, and serves as the pre-game show for the network's National Football League (NFL) game telecasts under t ...
''. In 2007 and 2008, he performed his impersonations on his own show, ''
Frank TV
''Frank TV'' is an American sketch comedy show starring Frank Caliendo, Mike MacRae, and Freddy Lockhart. Caliendo hosted the show and performed in sketches in full makeup as characters he impersonated.
Overview
The first episode of ''Frank TV' ...
'', which aired on
TBS. He is known for his impressions and for his frequent appearances on ''
The Bob & Tom Show
''The Bob & Tom Show'' is a syndicated US radio program established by Bob Kevoian and Tom Griswold at radio station WFBQ in Indianapolis, Indiana, March 7, 1983, and syndicated nationally since January 6, 1995. Originally syndicated by Premier ...
''. He has released six solo CDs. From 2009 to 2011 he had a show at the
Monte Carlo Resort and Casino
The Park MGM, formerly Monte Carlo Resort and Casino, is a megaresort hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, United States. The hotel, with a height of , has 32 floors, including a casino floor with 1,400 slot machines, ...
in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
.
Early life and education
Caliendo was born in Chicago, Illinois and grew up in
Waukesha, Wisconsin
Waukesha ( ) is the county seat of Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States. It is part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area. Its population was 71,158 at the 2020 census. The city is adjacent to the Village of Waukesha.
History
The area tha ...
, where he attended
Waukesha South High School
Waukesha South High School is one of three high schools located in Waukesha, Wisconsin. It was opened in 1957 as a southern campus to Waukesha High School, then in downtown Waukesha. The downtown campus is now Les Paul Middle School - Central Camp ...
. He is of Italian descent. Before graduating from
University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
The University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UW–Milwaukee, UWM, or Milwaukee) is a public urban research university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is the largest university in the Milwaukee metropolitan area and a member of the University of Wiscon ...
, Caliendo began performing stand-up comedy at local night clubs and comedy clubs, eventually taking a job as a
master of ceremonies at a local
comedy club
A comedy club is a venue—typically a nightclub, bar, hotel, casino, or restaurant—where people watch or listen to performances, including stand-up comedians, improvisational comedians, impersonators, impressionists, magicians, ventriloquist ...
. Within a few years, he was active on the college circuit. Between 2000 and 2001, Caliendo made his television debut on
sketch comedy series ''
Hype'', later gaining exposure on the comedy series ''
MADtv
''Mad TV'' (stylized as ''MADtv'') is an American sketch comedy television series originally inspired by ''Mad (magazine), Mad'' magazine. In its initial run, it aired on Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox from 1995 to 2009. After a one-off reuni ...
''.
Career
Caliendo has performed stand-up on ''
Premium Blend
''Premium Blend'' was a stand-up comedy series created and directed by Paul Miller that aired on the American cable television channel Comedy Central from 1997 to 2005. In 2005 the show was changed, and now known as "Live at Gotham".
The show w ...
'', ''
Late Show with David Letterman'', ''
Late Late Show with
Craig Kilborn
Craig Lawrence Kilborn (born August 24, 1962) is an American comedian, sports and political commentator, actor, and television host. Kilborn began a career in sports broadcasting in the late 1980s, leading to an anchoring position at ESPN's '' Sp ...
'', ''
The View'', ''
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Scottish actor and comedian Craig Ferguson. This was the third iteration of the ''Late Late Show'' franchise, airing from January 3, 2005, to December 19, 2 ...
'', and ''
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien. NBC aired 2,725 episodes from September 13, 1993, to February 20, 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and music ...
''. He was featured in Comedy Central's animated series ''
Shorties Watchin' Shorties
''Shorties Watchin' Shorties'' is an American adult animated comedy television series that aired on Comedy Central from April 28 to December 16, 2004. The show is made up of various short animated clips with audio from comedians' stand up routin ...
'' in 2004.
His
John Madden
John Earl Madden (April 10, 1936 – December 28, 2021) was an American football coach and sports commentator in the National Football League (NFL). He served as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders from 1969 to 1978, who he led to eight pla ...
impression has appeared on ''
Fox NFL Sunday
''Fox NFL Sunday'' is an American sports television program broadcast on the Fox television network. The show debuted on September 4, 1994, and serves as the pre-game show for the network's National Football League (NFL) game telecasts under t ...
'', ''
The Best Damn Sports Show Period
''The Best Damn Sports Show Period'' was an American sports television show that aired on Fox Sports Net and Comcast SportsNet. The show regularly featured irreverent and opinionated interviews with top athletes, coaches, celebrities, and entertai ...
'' and ''Mohr Sports''. Caliendo has also appeared on
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American basic cable channel owned by Paramount Global through its network division's MTV Entertainment Group unit, based in Manhattan. The channel is geared towards young adults aged 18–34 and carries comedy programming ...
's ''
Comedy Central Presents
''Comedy Central Presents'' is an American stand-up comedy television series created for Comedy Central. It is the network's main half-hour program which highlights either one or a series of stand-up comedians each episode. In 2011, the series ...
'', as well as the
radio shows
A radio program, radio programme, or radio show is a segment of content intended for broadcast on radio. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series. A single program in a series is called an episode.
Radio networ ...
''
The Free Beer and Hot Wings Show
''The Free Beer and Hot Wings Show'' is a syndicated morning talk radio show broadcast primarily from the Townsquare Media radio station WGRD-FM in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The show is hosted by Gregg "Free Beer" Daniels, Chris "Hot Wings" Michels ...
'', ''
Randy Baumann and the DVE Morning Show'', ''
The Dan Le Batard Show'', ''
The Dan Patrick Show
''The Dan Patrick Show'' is a syndicated radio and television sports talk show, hosted by former ESPN personality Dan Patrick. It is currently produced by Patrick and is syndicated to radio stations by Premiere Radio Networks, within and indepe ...
'', ''
The Junkies
The Sports Junkies, also known as The Junkies, are the hosts of an eponymous morning drive time radio show aired in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The hosts are John Auville, Eric Bickel, Jason Bishop, and John-Paul Flaim. Their s ...
'', ''
Bob & Sheri'', ''
The Bob & Tom Show
''The Bob & Tom Show'' is a syndicated US radio program established by Bob Kevoian and Tom Griswold at radio station WFBQ in Indianapolis, Indiana, March 7, 1983, and syndicated nationally since January 6, 1995. Originally syndicated by Premier ...
'', ''
Mike and Mike in the Morning
''Mike & Mike'' (formerly ''Mike and Mike in the Morning'') was an American sports-talk radio show that was hosted by Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic on ESPN networks from 2000–2017. The show aired on ESPN Radio, and was simulcast on televi ...
'', ''
Opie and Anthony
''Opie and Anthony'' was an American radio show hosted by Gregg Hughes, Gregg "Opie" Hughes and Anthony Cumia that aired from March 1995 to July 2014, with comedian Jim Norton (comedian), Jim Norton serving as third mic from 2001. The show origina ...
'', ''
The Detroit Cast
''The Detroit Cast'' is a comedy podcast based in Franklin, Michigan, hosted by Mike Wolters, Jay Boger, and Eric Fadie, and primarily discusses current events. The show was broadcast five days a week with a live video feed on youtube.com du ...
'', ''
The Don and Mike Show
The ''Don and Mike Show'' was an American nationally syndicated radio talk show hosted by the shock jocks Don Geronimo and Mike O'Meara, which aired from December 1985 through April 11, 2008. The show debuted on WAVA-FM in 1985 as ''The Morning ...
'', ''
Rise Guys'', ''
Bubba the Love Sponge
Bubba the Love Sponge Clem (born Todd Alan Clem, April 23, 1966) is an American radio personality who hosts ''The Bubba the Love Sponge Show'' on the radio station WWBA in Tampa, Florida, and the subscription service Bubba Army Radio. He can al ...
'', ''
The John Boy and Billy Big Show'', ''
The Howard Stern Show
''The Howard Stern Show'' is an American radio show hosted by Howard Stern that gained wide recognition when it was nationally syndicated on terrestrial radio from WXRK in New York City, between 1986 and 2005. The show has aired on Howard 100 a ...
'', ''
Mike and the Mad Dog
''Mike and the Mad Dog'' was an American sports radio show hosted by Mike Francesa and Christopher "Mad Dog" Russo that aired in afternoons on WFAN in New York City from September 1989 to August 2008. From 2002 the show was simulcast on television ...
'', ''
Elliot in the Morning
''Elliot in the Morning'' is a syndicated morning radio talk show hosted by DJ Elliot Segal and airing weekdays from "5:48 until 10 something." It is based at WWDC-FM Washington, D.C. and is heard on an affiliated station in Richmond. The for ...
'', ''The Sports Inferno'', ''
The Rick and Bubba Show'', ''
The Roe Conn Show'', ''
Pardon My Take
''Pardon My Take'' (abbreviated "''PMT''") is a comedic sports podcast released three times per week by Barstool Sports. It is hosted by Dan "Big Cat" Katz and PFT Commenter. The podcast debuted on February 29, 2016. It first appeared on the US ...
'', ''The 105.7
WAPL
WAPL (105.7 FM) is a classic rock formatted radio station licensed to Appleton, Wisconsin, that serves the Green Bay and Appleton- Oshkosh areas. The station is owned by Woodward Communications, and has studios on College Avenue in Appleton, ...
Rick and Len Show'', ''
Preston and Steve
''Preston & Steve'' show is a morning radio, comedy and variety broadcast on Philadelphia Active Rock station 93.3 FM WMMR featuring DJs Preston Elliot and Steve Morrison. The show, which originated at WDRE and then on Y100, both in Philadelphia ...
'', ''
Bob and Brian
''Bob and Brian'' is a talk radio show broadcast from WHQG in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Topics of discussion include politics, celebrity gossip, and sports, along with the random daily events.
The show broadcasts weekdays from 5:30 a.m. to 10:15 ...
'', ''
The Glenn Beck Program
''Glenn'' (previously titled ''The Glenn Beck Program'') is a news talk and political opinion show on TheBlaze hosted by Glenn Beck. It is produced and recorded at TheBlaze studios in Dallas, TX. The show originally ran on CNN Headline News fr ...
'', ''
Holmberg's Morning Sickness on 98 KUPD in Phoenix'', and ''Lamont & Tonelli on 107.7 The Bone in San Francisco''. From 2001 to 2004, he also made appearances on the ''
KQ Morning Show''
's annual "Live from Las Vegas" simulcast, appearing on the panel throughout the show and reprising a few bits from his stand-up act.
''Fox NFL Sunday''
On November 5, 2000, Caliendo appeared on ''
Fox NFL Sunday
''Fox NFL Sunday'' is an American sports television program broadcast on the Fox television network. The show debuted on September 4, 1994, and serves as the pre-game show for the network's National Football League (NFL) game telecasts under t ...
''; he returned again the same season on January 7 during the playoffs. In
2001
The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a Participants in ...
and
2002
File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
, Caliendo returned as a semi-regular guest. In
2003
File:2003 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The crew of STS-107 perished when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry into Earth's atmosphere; SARS became an epidemic in China, and was a precursor to SARS-CoV-2; A des ...
, Caliendo joined ''Fox NFL Sunday'' as a regular cast member, giving his predictions for the day's NFL games.
On August 2, 2012, Caliendo announced he would not be on ''Fox NFL Sunday'' for the
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
season, and was replaced by
Rob Riggle.
''MADtv''
Caliendo officially joined the cast of ''MADtv'' in 2001 as a repertory performer, for the seventh season. In 2002, Caliendo replaced
Will Sasso
Will may refer to:
Common meanings
* Will and testament, instructions for the disposition of one's property after death
* Will (philosophy), or willpower
* Will (sociology)
* Will, volition (psychology)
* Will, a modal verb - see Shall and wil ...
as the impersonator of
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
. Caliendo also did the announcing for the best of scenes on the ''MADtv'' season 1 DVD. Caliendo left ''MADtv'' before the 2006–2007 season.
''Frank TV''
Caliendo starred on ''
Frank TV
''Frank TV'' is an American sketch comedy show starring Frank Caliendo, Mike MacRae, and Freddy Lockhart. Caliendo hosted the show and performed in sketches in full makeup as characters he impersonated.
Overview
The first episode of ''Frank TV' ...
'', his own sketch show on the
TBS that began airing in November 2007. Caliendo was its host and performed in sketches impersonating various celebrities.
In early 2008, TBS announced that they ordered eight more episodes, which ran later that year. The show ended after the fifteenth episode, which aired on December 23, 2008.
Other appearances
Caliendo's impression of President
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
earned him an invitation to perform during the 2006 annual Radio-Television Correspondents Dinner.
Caliendo appeared in the 2007
film
A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
''
The Comebacks
''The Comebacks'' is a 2007 American satirical comedy film directed by Tom Brady. This film is a parody of the clichés and plots of the sports film genre. In the UK, Greece, Finland, Australia and New Zealand this film is called ''Sports Movie''. ...
'' as "Chip Imitation" who impersonates
John Madden
John Earl Madden (April 10, 1936 – December 28, 2021) was an American football coach and sports commentator in the National Football League (NFL). He served as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders from 1969 to 1978, who he led to eight pla ...
and
Al Michaels
Alan Richard Michaels (born November 12, 1944) is an American television sportscaster currently working as the play-by-play announcer for '' Thursday Night Football'' on Prime Video and in an emeritus role for NBC Sports. He has worked on n ...
in the championship game.
During
The Comedy Festival
The Comedy Festival, formerly known as the US Comedy Arts Festival, was a comedy festival that ran from 1995 to 2008. The festival included stand-up comedy performances, appearances by the casts of television shows, and has a film component calle ...
Caliendo hosted a special called ''The Comedy Festival Presents: Funniest Movies of the Year 2008'' where, from
Caesars Palace
Caesars Palace is a luxury hotel and casino in Paradise, Nevada, United States. The hotel is situated on the west side of the Las Vegas Strip between Bellagio and The Mirage. It is one of Las Vegas's largest and best known landmarks.
Caesars P ...
, Caliendo introduced the top ten list for funniest films of 2008 based on an Internet poll.
As of 2019, Caliendo is a recurring guest on the
Barstool Sports
Barstool Sports is an American blog website and digital media company headquartered in New York City that produces content on sports and pop culture. Founded by David Portnoy in 2003 in Milton, Massachusetts, the company's two primary owners are ...
podcast, ''Pardon My Take''.
Personal life
Caliendo lives in
Tempe, Arizona
, settlement_type = City
, named_for = Vale of Tempe
, image_skyline = Tempeskyline3.jpg
, imagesize = 260px
, image_caption = Tempe skyline as se ...
with his wife Michelle and their family.
Filmography
Discography
* ''Make the Voices Stop'' (2002)
* ''Frank on the Radio'' (2003)
* ''Frank on the Radio 2, Volume 1'' (2007)
* ''Frank on the Radio 2, Volume 2'' (2007)
* ''All Over the Place'' (2008)
* ''National Lampoon Live: Unleashed'' (2009)
Notes
External links
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Caliendo, Frank
1974 births
Male actors from Chicago
Male actors from Milwaukee
American impressionists (entertainers)
American male film actors
American male television actors
American people of Italian descent
Living people
People from Waukesha, Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee alumni
American sketch comedians
Comedians from Illinois
21st-century American comedians