This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2008, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Comedian and master impressionist Frank Caliendo is in Utah today, but he has been thinking about staying around a little longer.
"I thought about buying a house in Utah," he said. "Everyone is so friendly there, probably because of the Mormon influence."
Caliendo said he won't have to tone down his act for Utah audiences when he's performing at the Ogden Amphitheatre tonight. "It's not just Utah where I'm clean," he said. "I like people to be happy. It is comedy."
Caliendo has been one of the most successful recent comedians to make the jump from the stage to the TV screen. After first gaining exposure on "MADtv," he became a regular face on Fox's NFL coverage Sunday mornings doing spot-on impressions of Terry Bradshaw and John Madden.
Then he received his own show, "Frank TV," on TBS last November. The first episode was watched by more than 3.2 million viewers and broke the record for ad-supported cable's largest audience of adults for a late-night original series launch.
The show only aired for five episodes, cut short by the writers' strike, but proved to be so popular that TBS ordered another eight episodes, to be aired this fall.
In a phone interview, Caliendo was relaxed and, of course, funny. He acknowledged the attention he gained from his show being promoted endlessly during last year's baseball playoffs. "Frank TV's" second season is scheduled to be promoted endlessly again during this fall's baseball playoffs (also on TBS). "I'll apologize in advance," he said. "You'll see me 8 million more times [during the playoffs]."
Caliendo is perhaps most famous for his impersonation of the current president. While he has mastered his John McCain impression, he's still working on getting Barack Obama down.
"[Obama] can make anything sound inspirational," the comic said, and then tried his (pretty good) impression on the phone: "These carrots in front of you are the greatest. . . ."
Caliendo bases his act on Catskills comedy. "I think of myself as a puppet show," he said. "It's very vaudevillian." He writes his act thinking like a comedian, because to be a successful performer, you can't merely do impressions for an hour.
"Having a comedian like Frank Caliendo [who] is so current and hot right now in Ogden is exciting," said Keith Stubbs, comedian and owner of show presenter Wise Guys Inc. "You can turn on the TV or radio and he is there. . . . He appeals to the avid sports fan with Charles Barkley, Jim Rome and John Madden, then switches gears into the political arena with the best George Bush impression you will ever see, and his Clinton is still viable, and wait 'til you hear his John McCain. From there, sit back and enjoy Pacino, Robin Williams, Jeff Goldblum - the list goes on. I personally have performed with Frank many times, and he will not disappoint."
Frank Caliendo
When Tonight at 8.
Where Ogden Amphitheatre, 343 25th St., Ogden.
Tickets $20 to $40 at SmithsTix.