20 with Craig

I don't know what it is with Playboy magazine -- you do something ordinary like an interview with TV's Craig Ferguson, and it just turns out better. Maybe it's the same reason I can't imagine what "The Sopranos" would've looked like had Fox actually picked it up.

Anyway, the Craig Ferguson interview to end all Craig Ferguson interviews is in April's issue, the one with the bizarrely bronzed, hooterrific picture of WWE wrestler Candice Michelle on the cover. Here's just one of several brilliant (or should I say, brilliant!) exchanges from the "20 Questions" piece:

PLAYBOY: When you play Larry King, Prince Charles or any other celebrity in a skit, what's with the hairpieces?

FERGUSON: I am so uncomfortable in a makeup chair. The last movie I did before I came here was Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. I was almost completely cut out of the movie -- that was one of the unfortunate events. But the other thing was the makeup job we had to endure, for which the makeup people subsequently won Oscars. It took two and a half hours every ... day. I hated it. When I came here and they said, "We want to try a sketch with Larry King," I grabbed the nearest wig, threw it on and said, "That'll be it." They said, "No, no, that's terrible." I said, "Hey, they know it's me anyway. If they're going to like or not the sketch because of the wig, that's atrocious." They know it's me dressed up as Larry King or as a cartoon of Larry King. That desire not to sit in a makeup chair became our style.

Comments

[tc]

The badness of the impression is the whole point. It makes them hilarious. The fact that he's obviously not close to being Larry King although he gets the gravelly voice and the frantic delivery pretty well is funny. They're hardly impressions-they're more artistic interpretations of Larry King, Kim Jong-Il etc.

[FB]

Since when is being "bad" viewed as a positive attribute? His impressions stink, and he stinks. The show is an abomination, unprepared and hacky.

[Diane Linn]

Craig Ferguson's show is unpredictable. His opening monlogue is brilliant, astute and takes jabs at so-called news events and pop culture. His "asides" like Michael Caine in Space or At the Olympics, The Rather Late Show with Prince Charles or Larry King are improvisational spoofs, not impressions. In fact, improvisation is more "state-of-the-art" than over-prepared, stilted, predictable jokes. Craig should have a primetime slot!!!

[Cathy M.]

We love Craig's monologues, and the silly cheesiness of his impressions is just part of the fun. I know people who are so turned off by the sameness of late night talk shows who just love Craig, because he dares to be different. His opening remarks have the same unpredictability as an episode of the Simpsons, which so often begins on one topic only to finish up in a completely different direction, but satisfyingly so! I get up early for work, yet hate to miss Craig's remarks.

[KimJackson]

Craig should not have a primetime slot! He is funny just the way he is, uncensored and barely decent. Most impersonations are supposed to caricatures, never to be realistic. That's where Craig's Larry King scores so highly. And I love hearing how an actor can win a fight over production, even if it's a petty thing like "throwing on a wig".

[Mary Engman]

Craig is a dare to be different kind of guy, his comedy is unique in that it possibly goes right over a lot of peoples head. He doesn't need to use vulgar words to be funny.

He is handsome, has a wicked sense of humor, very flirty with the audience and (US) here at home. He can do more with a facial expression, than lot of comics can do with prepared jokes and punch lines.

We here in American can speak our minds, but trying to drag a fine man down is going too far.

He touches us (audience & viewer) on TV with an personal honesty that few Hollywood types would do even in a private conversation. He is open and out there and gives of himself to his followers by many means, using obscure fact from history that most wouldn't even know, educating us on things that people in this country who have gotten too lazy to read a book would ever know. Those of us born and raised in the USA probably could not pass American History test if our life depended on it.

He deserves a earlier spot, to showcase the range of his talents to the fullest. The skits are pretty lame sometimes, but it makes most of us laugh.

[Burl Ives]

Craig Ferguson is abysmal. He has nothing to add and nothing to say. In an era of Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and even Conan O'Brien, commenting on our society and our culture, the one man who actually has a great perspective on our culture as an outsider, gives us a nightly 15 minute monologue about nothing.

He's atrocious.

[Elaine Owen]

My husband and I think Craig is great. His humor is so funny, his facial expressions and his skits make us laugh so much. Hooray for Mr. Lasalley and David Letterman for bringing Mr. Ferguson into our home 5 nights a week, and thank you Craig for all the laughs.

[Aaron]

Well, if anyone at CBS is reading this thread, they're thrilled with this gender split. I doubt anyone at the network is losing sleep knowing that male viewers like "Burl Ives" (nice shoutout to Grandma there) find Ferguson "atrocious."

[Rachel]

Craig is the best late night talk show host on TV, yes his skits can be lame, but it doesn't matter what makes him good is his openness, honesty and his unique style. That is what makes him the best no matter what anyone says.

[Catarina]

Craig Ferguson may be too smart for the room. The inane frat boys who liked his predecessor can't understand his brilliant humor. Craig Ferguson is something special--a unique, funny voice with keen insights and a wealth of knowledge on life, art, politics, literature, Hollywood--the list goes on and on. His is the only television show my husband and I laugh out loud at. I am amazed he can do what he does night after night.

[Betty Richardson]

Craig Ferguson is the best talent on TV today! This is what late-night TV needs: sly humor, wacky skits, vivacious guests, and hot music/comic talent. It's funny when Craig pokes fun at Larry King, who himself is overrated and boring. NBC should have picked Craig for hosting the Tonight Show instead of Conan O'Brien!

[Betty Richardson]

Craig Ferguson is ABSOLUTELY the best talent working in TV today! Late Late Night is the best talk show because Craig talks to viewers (instead of at viewers) and he has a crisp sense of humor that challenges the status quo. And, he's very handsome--truly eye candy to American female viewers!