Folks, much like the end of the Vietnam War, our long national nightmare is finally over. I’m talking about the news in BROADCASTING & CABLE that TBS has canceled Frank TV. Finally, we can now watch baseball playoff games free from the fear of being bombarded with a barrage of advertisements so unrelenting that even Frank Caliendo felt bad about it. You can expect a ticker tape parade down Broadway for the TBS programmer who made the decision to axe the show.
But war is hell, and not all the news is good. The same article also has the news that Caliendo has signed a new two-year deal to continue being not funny on Fox NFL Sunday. Fortunately, you know that he’s always going to be on during the last segment of that show, making it possible to find something else to do in the five minutes before your regional coverage of San Francisco at Seattle begins.
Fox NFL Sunday’s producer explains the decision to bring Caliendo back (and somehow avoids using the words “deal with the Devil” or “pictures of me in compromising situations with a baby deer”):
“Frank is an integral part of the success that has made Fox NFL Sunday the number one pregame show in NFL history,” said Scott Ackerson, the show’s coordinating producer.
I guess. Among the unspoken “parts” that were more integral to the success of Fox NFL Sunday: catering, the best grip, and janitorial services. I cannot imagine anyone other than Caliendo’s immediate family who tunes into the pregame show just to see if he’s going to bust out John Madden again, or mix it up and go with Charles Barkley interviewing John Madden. Wacky!
Frank TV actually received decent ratings, and managed to run for two seasons. Meanwhile, Freaks and Geeks only ran for one season before getting canceled. Think about how much sense that makes while you flip around for something decent to watch on TV tonight.
4:18 pm on March 6th, 2009
Say what you will about Frank Caliendo, but he does do an awesome Charles Barkley:
http://www.sportsbybrooks.com/frank-caliendo-does-a-pretty-good-charles-barkley-14658
4:24 pm on March 6th, 2009
Frank TV is off the air? That's turrible.
4:28 pm on March 6th, 2009
I wish "Frank TV" was hosted by Frank Conniff, a.k.a. TV's Frank from MST3K.
5:06 pm on March 6th, 2009
First MadTV now Frank TV. When will it end?
6:05 pm on March 6th, 2009
Frank TV sucked, but I do enjoy his bits on FOX NFL Sunday. I've met the man a few times for radio interviews. He's a nice guy, but very shy when out of the spotlight.
6:56 pm on March 6th, 2009
I, for one, would love to see a John Madden-Charles Barkley debate.
7:28 pm on March 6th, 2009
Frank's TV show wasn't any more silly than SbB, so get off your high horse.
7:41 pm on March 6th, 2009
I would rather watch 5 minutes of Frank Caliendo than an entire season og SNL.
7:49 pm on March 6th, 2009
I mean "of" SNL. My brain must be already shutting down for the weekend.
8:22 pm on March 6th, 2009
"Folks, much like the end of the Vietnam War, our long national nightmare is finally over."
That line was used in Gerald Ford's first Presidential address to the nation in reference to the Nixon resignation, not the Vietnam War.
10:35 am on March 7th, 2009
Problem was he was a one trick pony. He is funny on talk shows and radio shows but could not even come close to carrying his own show.
11:09 am on March 7th, 2009
but will tbs remind us when My Boys comes on?
11:15 am on March 7th, 2009
TBS was behind Frank TV, NBC wasn't behind Freaks And Geeks as much. Conceptually, Freaks and Geeks was good. Biff Tannen played the gym coach, fun fact. But there were problems, the most glaring of which was it ran an hour long. After a half dozen episodes, the show got exposed and became predictable. Who knows, if it had another season maybe it would've bounced back. But we can't go back in time.