Comedian makes a good impression with good impressions

Impressionists are pegged between ventriloquists and Carrot Top in the comic food chain. However, Frank Caliendo, who nails hundreds of familiar voices, is single-handedly changing the comedy pecking order.

Caliendo, 33, who will appear Saturday at the Moore Theatre, does a spot-on John Madden and George W. Bush. But he isn't just replicating sounds. Caliendo, who will star in "Frank TV," a TBS sketch show debuting in November, has some serious material.

The comedian recently called from his Los Angeles home to discuss his much-maligned craft, who hates his impressions and what he wanted to call his cable vehicle.

Q: How did you discover your gift?

A: I would pick up on teachers and do impressions of them. I was good at doing mannerisms.

Q: Impressionists aren't highly regarded in comedy.

A: It's true, but the difference between myself and others who do impressions is that I write an act. There are people who do better voices than me but they have nothing to say. They'll say something like, "What if Christopher Walken was your neighbor?" Give me a reason why Christopher Walken would be my neighbor. That weak stuff drives me nuts.

Q: Who is the most difficult person to pull off?

A: All of the ones I can't do. I have a hard time with females. I've been working on (ESPN star) Chris Berman and it's just all right. It turns into Al Pacino. Their voices are very close. In my act, I do the impressions I can do.

Q: Since you have received quite a bit of ink for your John Madden and Charles Barkley impressions, people probably think your shows are all sports.

A: People do think that, but there might be 15 minutes of sports. I do a lot more than sports. I do Dick Cheney, Donald Trump. The list goes on and on.

Q: Who despises your impressions?

A: John Madden doesn't like me at all.

Q: Why?

A: Maybe because I called him "Shrek" once.

Q: Shrek is a very lovable and profitable character.

A: Madden isn't crazy about the Shrek comparison. David Letterman let me do him (Letterman) on his show ("The Late Show With David Letterman").

Q: That's impressive since Letterman has always been anti-impressionist.

A: I was the first impressionist they ever had on to do a stand-up bit. Since then they've had two impressionist weeks. I've triggered something. I'm doing Letterman again in October. I'm coming on to pretend to be John Madden. I wouldn't do it for anybody else. It's a terrible pigeonholing thing. But they're going to have me come on as myself so I can plug my show for TBS in the fall.

Q: Will you do all the characters on your show on TBS?

A: I'll be doing some. There will probably be one platform sketch where I'll do a couple of characters. I wanted to call my show "Chappelle's Show" but they won't let us do it. I thought we could draw more people right away.

Q: How do you morph so quickly from character to character?

A: It's my biggest gimmick. It's a gift.

Q: Some of the funniest characters you do are the more low-key figures, such as taciturn Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid and laid-back actor Jeff Goldblum.

A: The low-key ones are more fun.

Q: You should do Steven Wright.

A: The funny thing is that I once wanted to be a comedian like Steven Wright. I told Steven Wright that. I wrote a joke like one of his, "I built an addition to my house, completely out of mirrors. The walls are made out of mirrors, even the furniture is made out of mirrors. I go in there when I want to reflect on things."

Q: Did you do that joke for him?

A: No, I didn't do that for him. But I saw him on Letterman. He goes up to me and says "Aren't you the guy who does Madden?" I said "yeah." He said, "I love you" and he was smiling. Now that's validation.