Here's Your Sign!
Ten Years Later
It wasn't all that long ago that Bill Engvall stopped by the Friggemall building with his friends from the the monstrously successful Blue Collar Comedy Tour. And though the tour may be over, the show must go on. Engvall, Jeff Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy are now teaming up on the brand new sketch comedy show, Blue Collar TV. Before the Blue Collar thing became a part of pop culture, Engvall was a very successfully standup comedian and recording artist in his own right. His Here’s Your Sign album, released back in ’96, remained at #1 on the comedy charts for an impressive 15 weeks, a feat he's hoping his new CD release, A Decade of Laughs can duplicate. You can catch Engvall and the rest of the Blue Collar gang each week on the WB.

Angry Jake
We don’t know much about standup comedian Jake Iannarino other than he looks really angry, and maybe even a little aggressive on the front page of his website. However, we’ve been assured that he’s actually a really funny guy, and that’s a good enough endorsement to get him on the show. Jake is a veteran of acting, improv and standup comedy. His act has been featured (and enjoyed) in comedy clubs across the country and he’s appeared in the Rob Schneider films The Animal and The Hot Chick. Jake also stays busy as a member of a nationally touring improvisational comedy troupe.

October 21, 2004
Live and Unplugged in the Studio
Jeff Daniels is an actor who's famous for playing the everyman. He was in the movies Dumb and Dumber, Something Wild, The Hours and Terms of Endearment just to name a few. Though he’s considered to be a great performer in both drama and comedy, one genre you’d never think to find him in would be a musical. And though you’re not going to be seeing him in a musical picture anytime soon, you will be seeing his picture in music stores this fall when he releases his first collection of songs. Daniels admits that he’s not a hit song writer, instead, each of his tunes marks an important place and moment of time in his life that he felt like putting to music. He’d been collecting these melodies over the years in a big black notebook and imagined that’s where they would remain. It was only when he decided that he’d try and use this hidden talent to help raise money for The Purple Rose Theater that his songs were first heard by outside ears. To Daniels’ surprise, his plan worked. Now, in an attempt to raise even more funds for his favorite cause, Jeff Daniels has released his best work on his first CD, Live and Unplugged. Daniels hasn't quit his day job though, and will be appearing in the upcoming films Because of Winn-Dixie, The Squid and The Whale and The Five People You Meet in Heaven.

October 21, 2004
The New Scream Queen
Sarah Michelle Gellar is no stranger to the horror genre. Not only did she portray Buffy the Vampire Slayer for the better part of a decade, she also appeared in the Scream franchise and I Know What You Did Last Summer. And if you think about it, she was even taking on monsters as Daphne in the Scooby Doo movies. But none of those flicks can compare with the scares she’s subjected to in her new film, The Grudge. Sarah plays a nurse living in Tokyo who is exposed to a supernatural curse that drives people into a rage before eventually killing them, and then it moves on to its next victim. Needless to say it’s the feel good movie of the Halloween season. The Grudge opens this Friday in theaters everywhere.

FACTOID – Sarah Michelle Gellar was discovered at the age of four while eating at a restaurant.

October 21, 2004
Funny Man Nick Griffin
Doing stand-up comedy since 1987, mostly because he’s funny and hates having a boss, Nick Griffin has fine-tuned his act to become one of the most well rounded comics of today. His comical observations cover just about everything, so as long as you are interested in something, Nick will have you rolling in the aisles in no time. Griffin has been featured on Comedy Central's Premium Blend and The Late Show with Craig Kilborn and has also written for The Keenan Ivory Wayans Show. He also claims to have once worked with Charo, but refused to go into any specific details.

October 21, 2004
Harley Dogs
Max and Bailey Parks are making their way across the United States on a 25,000-mile journey in hopes of bringing attention to the special needs of people with disabilities and the ways in which their species can help. In case you hadn’t guessed, Max and Bailey are Golden Retriever guide dogs, and these two loveable ‘big sweeties’ have suited up in their star-spangled bandanas and sporty riding goggles and are ready to set out in their Harley-Davidson sidecars. The Hogs for Dogs Charity Ride will cover each of the lower 48 states and will include stops at schools, communities and businesses in order to raise awareness and funds for a great cause. Humans Blain and Janet Parks will be joining the two spokesdogs on their incredible journey (and we're told they'll be handling most of the driving). Check out their detailed travel plans to see when these two dogs on hogs will be near your town.

October 20, 2004
Back on the Grid
Comedian Drew Hastings took himself off the grid for a few months by living in a shack in the middle of a forest, and it seems to have done him some good. Not only is he on top of his game as a standup comedian, he's still among our favorite guests, not to mention one of the most memorable. No one else has ever shown up to the studio wearing a sash, riding a horse or driving an old, boat-sized automobile that was purchased on eBay. Drew's currently using that automobile, which he's dubbed the "Jew Canoe," to travel across the country in order to bring his unique style of standup to the masses. If you want a little sampling of his work, or maybe that of his buddy (and success guru) Jack Freeman, check out the Drew Hastings VIP audio page.

October 20, 2004
Who You Gonna Call? Mythbusters!
Jamie Hyneman, the co-host of Mythbusters holds many more titles than that of an urban legend debunker. He’s also a model builder, robot inventor, creator of toy prototypes, wilderness survival expert, captain, diver, linguist, animal wrangler, machinist and chef. For the rest of his accomplishments, see the back of his business card. When not appearing on the Discovery Channel’s hottest new show, Jamie runs M5 Industries, a highly-respected creator of problematic props involving animatronics and robotics which have been used in countless commercials and films. This week on Mythbusters, Jamie and Adam tackle the questions of killer quicksand, electrocution in the bathtub and exploding tattoos. Make sure to catch all the fun every Wednesday on Discovery.

FACTOID - For years Jamie has participated in robotic combat competitions. He held the heavyweight title for two years in “Robot Wars,” competing with his creation, Blendo.

October 20, 2004
It's True, I Tell Ya
Live from his dining room, it’s the host of Vague But True, Tim Bedore (well thank you very much). Each week Tim shares his thoughts on life, society, politics or his daily life, presented in the form of in-depth editorials. But unlike your buddy's boring stories, Tim delivers his monologues with comedic precision, making sure each edition comes equipped with intellectual insights and jokes that will make you laugh out loud. Over the past few months we’ve learned quite a bit about Tim, including his thoughts on downloading movies, the joy one can find in a Sky Mall magazine, his time spent at summer camp and his theory on how animals are trying to wipe out our species. When Tim’s not writing new installments of VBT, he can be seen performing with the comedy tour, Four Stand-up Dads.

October 18, 2004
Straight Hitter
What can make a teacher give up the classroom and take to the stage? A better paycheck might be one reason, but for Jeff Jena, it was because he just saw so much humor in every day life that he had to share it with an audience that could drive. Jena’s observational humor has helped him devlope into one of the top draws touring the country in his 20-plus years in comedy. After getting his start at the legendary Comics Annex in Houston, he got his big break when he appeared on Star Search in front of a national audience. From that point on he's been headlining packed houses in the best clubs across the country.

FACTOID - Jeff has a wicked golf game! However, he rarely outplays his wife, who is an LPGA professional. Of course he always outplays our Webmaster, so we'd say that's an even trade.