Thanks to cartman2002 for supplying some of this information.

Artie Lange has been through a lot in his life. He was an original cast member of MADtv, and has done pretty much every drug imaginable. Some leading to stays in rehab, but if Artie is known for one thing, it's being one of the greatest comedic minds out there. HBO Sports however, doesn't feel that way, as after an appearance on the new HBO talk show Joe Buck Live in which he made some lude comments, and homosexual remarks president of HBO Sports Ross Greenburg has announced that Artie will no longer be appearing on any HBO Sports program, quoting "Lange is a regular on Stern's Sirius Radio show, which airs Monday through Thursday in the morning. His profanity-laced, toxic performance on Buck's live show Monday night earned him banishment".

Artie however, has a different point of view on the matter, as he said on The Howard Stern Show that he feels that his bits "killed". Artie also said that he was told by the producers to ratchet up the funny if the show was getting boring, which by all accounts it was. As Joe Buck interviewed Brett Favre in a very news less interview, he then had Artie on, with other comedians, Saturday Night Live's Jason Sudeikis, and Joe's old high school friend Paul Rudd. As Joe and Paul started talking about their high school days, Artie could see that the audience was growing tired of the stories, and did what the producers told him to do.

Artie does not feel that he did anything wrong, and that he was just "doing what the producers told him to do". Artie also said that after the show, Jason and Paul told him that his appearance was "legendary". Ross Greenburg didn't like Artie's appearance, because he felt that Artie was "hijacking" the show. One problem was that Joe Buck is not a comedian, and he didn't exactly spare with Artie in the way that he should have. Many of Artie's fans also feel that he did a great job on the show, and feel that the producers of Joe Buck Live are to blame for the appearance, as they told him to liven the show, and that they should have known what they were getting when they asked Artie to be on the show.

Either way, Artie's appearance, and subsequent banning has given Joe Buck Live something that it never would have gotten without him, Free publicity. Now it's the talk all over the variety of news mediums, and they probably wouldn't have gotten that if it wasn't for Artie's big, funny mouth.

Now as we all know it is the holidays and it has been a tough holiday. With the cancellation of the show and the episodes counting down there is very little cheery things to talk about, well if you’re looking for cheery, stuff these cast appearances under your tree!

Let's start off with a small piece cast member. This cast member is Anjelah Johnson? Who is coming back to television, well at least the cable part of that television. According to this Anjelah has been hired to a new untitled show starring fat to fabulous Jenny Craig star Valerie Bertinelli coming to TBS. I do not know when, but it should be soon. The plot of the show is Valerie plays Claire, a recent divorcee who works at a lumber business. Anjelah may be playing the daughter Claire. I don't know how old this daughter is suppose to be but for the Anjelah fans, what does it matter, she is back on TV. Let's hope this role lasts longer than 4 episodes.

Looking for some more sweets under the tree, may I suggest a candy key hanging off the Christmas tree. A Keegan-Michael Key. There is some information about him, and a movie role. Looking for a movie to see this weekend, well why not get your MAD on with the new movie Role Models, not only does this movie have former ghetto nails castmember Nicole Randall Johnson is also has a small appearance from Mr. Key as well. The appearance by what I have heard is only about 20 seconds long with barely any lines, but as Horton of Horton Hears a Who would say if he was a big, well mediocre movie producer, a role is a role no matter how small. It may be a 20 second scene now, but who knows, that could balloon, to 40, 80, and then maybe a movie for Mr. Key. Let's hope that this role is the beginning of many, as this appearance may bring Keegan's career to a Ho Nava Laval.

What's that, you all want MOre. Well I do have some Mo for you. Mo Collins that is. After taking a bit of a break from television Mo is hitting the television screen hard. Along with a web series called Road to the MLS Cup in which she takes Major League Soccar players and the trophy across country to the finals in Los Angeles, she has also appeared on an episode of the show. Pushing Daisies playing a nun who tragically dies after falling out a window, and now has a recurring role on the long too long running of the show According to Jim playing Emily, a 2-time wife with 2 kids who is going to be marrying main character Jim's best friend Andy. With all these roles it's only a matter of time before we find Mo Collins on her own show under the television Christmas tree.

Now, here's a possible gift from a Christmas past in the form of Barack Obama. It looks as if former cast member and Funkenstine walker Jordan Peele is trying to stay on the sketch comedy train. He is one of 4 people who are competing to be the new Obama on MADtv rival Saturday Night Live Does he have the stuff that Keegan has to make it, or will this be just a fun experiment of his. Only time will tell, but you can see for yourself here.

Now here's a present you already know but you love to hear about. This present is filled with a light and sweet inner core. That inner core is MADtv alum Nicole Sullivan. The outside, a wonderful show called Rita Rocks. After years of supporting roles and failed shows, Nicole may have finally latched onto a winner. The show premiered back in August on the Lifetime Network and is doing great in the ratings. After its 8 episode trial, Lifetime has picked it up for a full season order to bring the shows first season up to 20 episodes. 7 years after leaving MADtv, it finally seems like Nicole may have found her most desired Christmas gift of all. A starring role in a successful show.

Ever have a Christmas present that you loved but did not last as long as you wanted it to? Well that is a good segway into another active former MADtv star Nicole Randall Johnson. After being let go for reasons this day we still don't understand, Nicole seems to have found her groove outside of the show. She had a small role in the previously mentioned Role Models, a guest appearance on the new NBC show Kath and Kim, and an appearance on the hit cult kids show Hannah Montana. It may be soon time that she herself gets her own show.

Now, here's a present that has its problems, but you still love it. This gift is Artie Lange who, after another stint in rehab in September is back on the scene and with a new book Too Fat to Fish. You wouldn't think Artie would be that much of a writer but his book has gone to #1 on the New York Times best sellers list in only its first few weeks. Artie gives hope to the many of us, and proves that even a fat, drug-addicted, drunk can make a bestselling book. If he can do this, maybe there is hope for the world after all.

Now the best of all on Christmas is the gift that keeps on giving, that gift that keeps on giving are 2 shows in which hiring former castmembers for guest appearances seems to be as custom for the show as turkey in the Christmas meal. One show is Chocolate News, a satirical news show from a black perspective that has already had Jordan Peele, Keegan-Michael Key, and Mo Collins. Another show hiring MAD members is a show by a former MAD member. That former member is Frank Caliendo and his show FrankTV. The roles Frank's show is giving the former castmembers are all roles that they perfected on MADtv. These include Aries Spears as Shaquille O'Neal, Mo Collins as Mary Tyler Moore, and even Pat Kilbane (who wasn't even on the show when Frank was there) as Howard Stern. The cancellation of MADtv is sad, but with shows like CN and Frank, MADtv may live silently in Hollywood for the next few years with its wonderful actors helping to keep the shows memory alive.

Now, for appearances in Hollywood, the presents have been a plenty. So many that it would take till next Christmas to tell them all, so let’s just summarize the other appearances in short points which I will call stocking stuffers.

Ike Barinholtz: Guest starring role on Rita Rocks last month.

Lisa Donovan: Worked backstage at Youtube Live last month.

Kathryn Fiore: Did Pizza Hut commercials in the summer.

Michael McDonald: Guest starred on Hannah Montana this month.

Eric Price: Will be in a new internet web show called Action Auto. Starting this January.

Will Sasso: On an episode of How I Met your Mother this month.

Mary Scheer: Is appearing on the show iCarly as one of the child’s mothers.

Taran Killam is going to be a new member of Scrubs starting in January.

Well, that is all I know as of now. If these were all presents and stocking stuffers, it would be a very generous Christmas, let's hope the actual holidays for everyone else is this good. MADrry Chri- holidays to all and to all good... Late year holidays.

So far, 2008 has been anything but a banner year for "MADtv" alum Artie Lange. According to this article, the latest news on the troubled comedian is that he has admitted himself into an intensive outpatient rehab program. The news seems hardly surprising when one considers the numerous drug, alcohol, and weight problems that Artie has encountered over the years. Furthermore, the entry into rehab makes sense in light of several recent canceled gigs, including some stand-up shows that were scheduled for this weekend. Perhaps the most unfortunate cancellation, however, is his scheduled apperance at the Comedy Central roast of comedian Bob Saget. Alas, Artie Lange fans can now only imagine the numerous (forgive me) artful putdowns that he must have had in store for the former "Full House" star. At least one golden Artie punchline would have surely involved Bob's former co-stars Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, who, according to this article, were apparently the targets of several crude sexual jokes when the roast was taped this past Sunday night (August 2nd). Artie, the pedophilic puns were right there for you, my friend! Oh well.

As was hinted previously, Artie's list of things he would like to forget about 2008 certainly does not begin with his current rehab stint. You will recall his much-publicized breakdown in April on "Howard Stern," during which he physically assaulted his personal assistant and announced his departure from the show. Although a contrite Artie Lange returned to "Howard Stern" shortly thereafter, it was obvious that the man was simply postponing the inevitable. Now one hopes that the road to recovery can begin in earnest for our beloved alum. Artie, we at Planet MADtv wish you all the best in your efforts to conquer your demons. Those Olsen twin one-liners will be there waiting for you when you return. The Olsen twins themselves? Not likely -- but logic tells me that's probably not such a bad thing anyway. Get well soon, Artie!

Remember that two year period from 1995-1997? Remember when a guy by the name of Artie Lange used to bring us laughs in the form of "My White Mama?" Neither do I, but of course, Mr. Lange can not seem to keep himself out of trouble. For those of you just tuning in, Artie Lange recently experienced what was considered to be a meltdown while on the set of the "Howard Stern Sirius Show." Don't have Sirius? No worries, I don't either (because I’m too lazy and cheap to pay for online radio). Judging from Artie’s current well-being, which seems to be mirroring his behavior during his "MADtv" days, things seem to only get worse based on this article:

"Stern sidekick Artie Lange has been on a self-destructive streak for the better part of the last nine or so months. His weight has been ballooning, his already prolific drug habit has only gotten worse and his on-air behavior has become more erratic than ever before. However, things reached Defcon 6 levels on today's show when Artie flew into a rage, got into a physical confrontation with his personal assistant and abruptly (and from the sounds of it, tearily) resigned from the show."

Arguments between Lange and his personal assistant broke out over traveling accommodations that were made for Amsterdam. The arguments were then reported to have escalated into a discussion about finances. But of course, the madness doesn’t stop there:

"As the argument continued, Lange became enraged and physically lashed out at Teddy, but the physical confrontation was apparently defused by other members in the studio. When Lange returned, he said Teddy would be ‘dead’ had he reached him and he would be in jail."

The drama doesn’t end quite yet, though. Not only did Artie quit the show, but he also decided to go back to his job as the dubious assistant to Mr. Howard Stern:

"In a great conclusion to the great mystery that lots of people couldn't care less about but that a few people care a lot about, Artie Lange returned, contrite and reasonably controlled, to 'The Howard Stern Show...'"

This article goes more in depth on Artie's past behavior on the show, behavior that would result in a time out if he were 5 years old.

Here’s the moral of the story in three words, write this down: get some help. Poor Artie’s self-destructive streak has really begun to take its toll, and all we can do is hope for the best for this MAD alumnus as he continues to hit those brain-cell damaging airwaves from Sirius Radio.

The good news is that Frank Caliendo and Artie Lange will be performing at this year's Comedy Festival in Las Vegas, NV; the bad news is that there may not even be a Comedy Festival in 2008. Still, there is talk that HBO and AEG Live, the hosts of the annual event for the past three years, may pass the torch to TBS in the future rather than simply end the festival altogether. Although nothing is etched in stone so far, the network move would make sense since TBS is currently a big financial supporter of the Comedy Festival. Also, the opportunity to host the Comedy Festival would would work well in the cable network's overall plan to increase its live-comedy broadcasting. In fact, TBS plans to tape Frank Caliendo's performance from this year's Comedy Festival and later air it as a special. Therefore, those not lucky enough to scare up tickets for the festival, which will be held November 14th through November 17th at Caesar's Palace, can still catch Frank's performance on the tube at a later time. (Artie fans will not be as lucky, one presumes.) Other notables who are scheduled to appear during the four-day festival are Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Ellen DeGeneres, Wanda Sykes, Steve Schirripa, Bill Engvall, Jamie Kennedy and Nick Swardson. Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam, moderated by D.L. Hughley, will also appear. Catch Frank and Artie in Vegas while you still can!

UPDATE: According to the information found here, Frank will be performing in the Palace Showroom on Thursday, November 15th, at 12:30pm EST/9:30pm PST. Later that evening, at 2:59am EST/11:59pm PST, Artie will perform in the Augustus Showroom. Oh, and it turns out that Frank fans will not have to wait long after all to see his performance on TV. TBS's schedule indicates that "Frank Caliendo: All over the Place" will air on Friday, November 16th, at 10:00pm EST. Finally, for those who want to delve further into the possible hosting shift for the event, check out this article. (After all, why should the news editor have all the fun?)

Planet MADtv brings you all the Artie Lange news that is fit to print! On Monday, October 29th, at 8:00pm EST, be sure to catch Artie on "LateNet with Ray Ellin," a unique event that merges traditional broadcasting media with a community of online chatters:

"Paltalk has teamed up with DailyComedy.com - a popular comedy website - to bring you this exclusive late-night talk show event, combining a live studio audience with the Paltalk community!

The October 29th installment will feature actor/comedian Artie Lange and radio personality Gary Dell'Abate from 'The Howard Stern Show.' The show will be broadcast live from one of New York's most popular comedy venues, Gotham Comedy Club, where a Paltalk chat room will be simulcast alongside host and comedian Ray Ellin."

New users will need to download Paltalk by using one of the large, orange links on the aforementioned page. Once you are registered, you can interact online with the host, studio audience, and guests. Simply put, if you have ever wanted to share some banter with Mr. Lange, then here is your chance!

If an online experience with Artie is not enough to whet your insatiable appetite, then check him out live at a benefit for the Bob Woodruff Family Fund, an organization that assists injured United States military service members. The event, which runs from November 7th to November 11th, will feature various comedic performers on different nights. Among those scheduled to appear are Sarah Silverman, Joy Behar, Lewis Black, Robin Williams, and Denis Leary. Artie's performance takes place at the New York City Town Hall on November 9th at 8:00pm EST. Check out this page for more information.

Our next newsworthy Artie item involves a book deal. Look for Too Fat to Fish, a collection of Artie's memoirs, to hit bookstores in 2009. Apparently, the book's title was inspired by an incident in which he once told his mother that he was going fishing. She shouted in reply, "You're too fat to fish!" (Of such off-the-cuff remarks are legends made, folks.) Regarding his reason for writing his memoirs, Artie lets a sad truth be known:

"'After reading several books, I thought it would be fun to write one,' Lange said. 'I'm about to turn 40, which for me is the new 70. I have a lot of stories that are both funny and dark and I honestly don't know how much longer I have on this planet. It's time to get this done.'"

For those who have been living on a deserted island since the inception of "MADtv," Artie has had a long history of various health problems including drugs, alcohol, and obesity. Here's hoping that Too Fat to Fish is far from the final word on Mr. Lange. Take care of yourself, Artie -- we want to laugh with you for many more years to come!

In one final bit of news, the aforementioned article also states that Artie plans to stay on "The Howard Stern Show" for at least one more year. His original reason behind the decision to depart was that he simply could not deal with the hectic schedule of a morning radio show, standup comedy, and late-night television gigs. Again, I refer the reader to the well-wishing in the last sentence of the preceding paragraph.

That is all the Artie Lange news for now. Until next time, remember not to break your foot off in anyone's ass. You'll be glad you didn't.

Because things tend to pile up with so many MADtv cast members making their rounds in showbiz (50 and counting), I've decided to kick off what will likely become a regular feature here at the site: "Rapid-Fire Appearances". In short, these articles will dispense with (most of) the usual journalistic fluff and cut straight to the chase on the latest cast appearances set to grace your television/movie screen in the near-future. Got it? Then let's begin!

First off, Artie Lange announced on Conan O'Brien a few weeks back that he will once again be appearing on Rescue Me this season. The usual first-stops for guest star listings -- IMDb, TV.com, et al -- were less than helpful at the time (and still are, in fact), but we've just learned that Artie's first appearance aired on July 25th. He, apparently, has a recurring role, so those who are interested will want to check out tomorrow night's episode. Rescue Me airs at 10:00pm EST Wednesday nights on FX.

Coming to ABC Family this August is Slacker Cats -- a new animated series featuring everyone's favorite long-departed cast members, Nicole Sullivan and Alex Borstein! For the benefit of those who didn't immediately skip ahead to the next item after seeing "ABC Family", here's the overly-detailed synopsis:

"Slacker Cats" follows two buddy cats, Buckley and Eddie, who slack their way through various unimpressive adventures. The half-hour, prime-time animated comedy series features the voices of Harland Williams, Sinbad, Kiersten Warren, Nicole Sullivan, Niecy Nash, Alex Borstein and legendary cult stand-up Emo Philips.

Does the show's prime-time slot indicate that we're in for something potentially appealing to those over the age of six? Tune in next month to find out!

Anyone remember Simon Helberg? Me neither. Nonetheless, this former MADtv featured player has landed himself a gig on the new CBS show, The Big Bang Theory, which features a premise I can only assume was lifted directly from my life:

THE BIG BANG THEORY is a comedy from the Emmy Award nominated Co-Creator and Executive Producer of "Two and a Half Men" Chuck Lorre, about brainy best friends Leonard (Johnny Galecki, "Roseanne") and Sheldon (Jim Parsons "Judging Amy"), who can tell you anything you want to know about quantum physics, but when it comes to dealing with everyday life here on earth they're lost in the cosmos. Neither fully understands that scientific principles don't always apply in matters of the heart - until they meet their sexy new neighbor Penny (Kaley Cuoco, "8 Simple Rules..."), a friendly screenwriter/waitress from the midwest who also happens to be newly single. She quickly makes an impression on the other members of Leonard and Sheldon's geek squad - Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg, "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip"), who portrays himself as the Casanova of Cal Tech, and fellow whiz kid Rajesh Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar, "NCIS"), who is rendered speechless around anyone unprepared to converse about the Theory of Relativity or other scientific jargon. The chemistry between this gaggle of geniuses and a delightful damsel is about to undergo a stimulating series of inter-personal experiments.

The Big Bang Theory, eh? Oh, CBS -- what a wicked web of punnery you weave! Monday nights starting September 24th. 8:30pm EST. CBS. Be there. [Or not.]

Frank Caliendo fans will be pleased to learn that his new show, "The Frank Show" (one of the more imaginative titles to ever come out of Hollywood), is set to premiere on TBS "this fall". November 20th is the tentative premiere date, but this is subject to change between now and then. To whet your appetite, a number of preview clips have been made available for streaming on TBS.com. Why not check them out? Frank would do it for you if *you* were on TV!

Finally, in Phil LaMarr and David Herman news, details on the return of Futurama have finally surfaced! According to TV Squad:

Futurama is back, and now we know in what form. The show will return on November 27th as a full-length high-def film sold on DVD. It will be followed by three additional films, and each film will be divided into four episodes each to be aired on Comedy Central. So, that's 4 DVD movies or 16 new episodes depending on how you look at it.

Exciting news indeed for Futurama fans and nerds in general! I can almost count the number of days before the inevitable leak!

Special thanks go out to mizzimad for the Slacker Cats and Big Bang Theory leads. Join us again next time for another episode of Rapid-Fire Appearances!

The month of May brings many updates regarding MADtv alumni.

First, we have former MADtv castmembers once again working on voices for Family Guy. This includes Nicole Sullivan, Phil Lamarr, and Will Sasso. Will is going to be playing the voice of Randy Newman. It is unsure at this point what voices Nicole and Phil will be doing. The article can be found here.

Will Sasso will also be attending the Ninth Annual Mint Jubilee Gala, alongside many other celebrities, inlcuding Dennis Franz of NYPD Blue, singer and American Idol winner, Ruben Studdard, and Tori Spelling, to name a few. More information can be found here.

According to AnimatedBliss.com, the animated comedy, "Game Over" will be released on DVD in late June. The series revolves around a video game family, which features Artie Lange as the voice of the family's purple, cigar smoking pet.

Michael McDonald and Stephnie Weir will be appearing in a staging of A. R. Gurney's "The Dining Room" from the 4th to the 16th of July at the Cape Playhouse in Dennis, Massachusetts. More about this can be found here. Many thanks go out to Raphaela for this information.

And finally, according to this article, Bryan Callen will reprise his role as Vic on "Seventh Heaven."

There you have it, folks. More updates regarding these bits of information will be revealed as they come.