The great impersonator

Growing up, I wanted to be either a puppeteer or an impressionist. Shoot for the stars, I always say. Thankfully, neither dream came true, but being an impressionist worked out well for talents like Rich Little and Fred Travalena during the 1980s. Today, comics continue to do impressions, but strict impressionists seem less common.

Enter Frank Caliendo. The portly comic and former "MadTV" regular gets his own late night series this week - "Frank TV" on TBS. Perhaps you saw the 9,867 commercials they ran for the series during the baseball playoffs. The show bows at 11 p.m. EST Tuesday, but I've watched two installments sent out to press members. Right away, Caliendo's talents seem endless. His array of characters is stunning - he imitates all four "Seinfeld" stars in one bit - and his facial tics enhance every impression. His President Bush imitation is the new gold standard. The comedy material he's working with so far is uneven, but his mimicry makes even the lesser bits palatable. Don't hold the commercial barrage against Caliendo. Give the show a look at watch a master at work. (Photo: Caliendo mugs it up as Robert De Niro)