Late Late Show in Scotland
Rumors had been percolating under the surface since December, and here at RSA News headquarters in the hollowed-out volcano, we had been keeping our ear to the ground as the bubbling and gurgling got louder and louder. On Thursday, CBS finally took the lid off the news and made it official: Craig Ferguson is bringing the Late Late Show to Scotland.

Wearing his now famous Tom Ford black suit, this time with a bright blue necktie, Craig has been making his way around Glasgow and the nearby town where he grew up, Cumbernauld.  With a camera crew, Craig is visiting the sights, meeting school children and taping interviews with guests.

The Cumbernauld News and the Scottish Sun both report that Craig taped a segment at his old high school along with guest Michael Clarke Duncan.

We’ve also been told that they taped a segment at Glasgow’s Tron Theater on Thursday, where Craig performed as a stand up comedian in the 1980’s. And Celebrity-Gossip.net reports that Mila Kunis will be a guest as well.

The plan is to record a week of shows, similar to what they did in Paris last summer.  The episodes are scheduled to be broadcast the week of May 14-18, which is in the midst of the May television ratings period. “With the statute of limitations finally expiring, it seemed like a great time to go back,” Craig joked in a news release from CBS.  So far, the show has been keeping the taping locations and guests under wraps but as we hear more details, we’ll pass them along.

We Want Your Stories
If you are in Scotland and have seen Craig out and about, we would welcome your stories and photos to share with Craig fans around the world.  Just as we posted many photos and anecdotes from Paris last summer, we’d be delighted to do so again.  Tweeting a direct message to us is the easiest way to pass along what you see and hear, or use our Contact Us form for more detailed information.  Links to your blogs are also welcome.  And remember, if you do see Craig and the crew working, keep a respectful distance away.

Media Coverage

Once CBS sent out a news release to announce that the Late Late Show was taping episodes in Scotland, news outlets jumped on the story, including USA Today, E! Online, Newsday, RBR.com and more.

Regis in Cleveland
The Huffington Post caught Regis Philbin‘s appearance on Wednesday’s show, when he talked about being an upcoming guest star on Betty White‘s TVLand sitcom Hot In Cleveland.

Billy Connolly’s Drawings

Billy Connolly is not only a talented stand up comedian, writer and actor, but a visual artist as well. Connolly’s pen-and-ink drawings are gaining critical acclaim as well. The UK’s Guardian newspaper has some samples of his work, prints of which are being sold by a gallery.

We’ll Always Have Paris
In the spirit of a good road trip, here is a look back at the promotional video put together by CBS for Craig’s week of shows in Paris last summer:

Video courtesy: CBS

Tonight’s Guests
Thursday on the Late Late Show, enjoy an encore presentation of the November 10th, 2011 show with actress Molly Shannon and actor Michael K. Williams. On Friday, watch for a rebroadcast of the November 14th, 2011 show featuring actress Poppy Montgomery and author Charlie Higson. Due to CBS coverage of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, the show will likely be delayed by approximately one hour in the eastern and central time zones on both Thursday and Friday.

Guest Update

The guest listings have been updated through March 29th, including encore shows with Pierce Brosnan, Laura Lippman, Lisa Kudrow and ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic. You can see the most up-to-date listings on our Guests page.

So Much For A Break
As we have been reporting over the past few days, Craig Ferguson & Company stored some episodes to be used in the next two weeks during the NCAA men’s basketball tournament so they could take a break. Well, it turns out that they are taking a break… but only from Los Angeles.

We have now officially confirmed that Craig is taking the show to Scotland! As we first reported back in January when the UK’s Daily Mail newspaper got wind of the idea, Craig had been talking to friends in the old country about doing some episodes back home. Now, it appears he has been taping a week of shows, just as he did in Paris last summer.  Craig’s team has been very quiet about specific locations where they have been taping and about guests who will appear on the shows.  However, the local Cumbernauld News reports that Craig taped a segment at the town’s high school along with guest Michael Clarke Duncan.  We’ve also been told that they taped a segment at Glasgow’s Tron Theater on Thursday, where Craig performed as a stand up comedian in the 1980’s.  We will pass along more details as they are announced.

The show will be broadcast the week of May 14-18, which is in the midst of the May television ratings period.   “With the statute of limitations finally expiring, it seemed like a great time to go back,” Craig joked in a news release from CBS about bringing his late-night show to Scotland.

Calling All UK Skellies!
Just as we relied on many of our Euroskelly friends to help tell the story of Craig’s shows in Paris, we are counting on our contacts in the UK to help us tell the story of Craig’s visit to Scotland. If you are a Craig Ferguson fan and happen to be around the areas where Craig is taping the shows, we want to hear from you!

Last summer, we were fortunate to receive many stories and photographs from fans during the week the shows in Paris were taped and we’re hoping to do the same again this time. For brief messages, tweeting a direct message to us is the easiest way to pass along what you see and hear. For more detailed information, we recommend using our Contact Us form. You may need to send more than one message using the form, if it takes a lot of words to explain. And as always, longer-form stories and photos on blogs are wonderful. Just send us the links and we’ll be sure to pass them along to the rest of the Robot Skeleton Army.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Just like in Paris, if you do have the chance to watch part of a taping for an episode, please keep a respectful distance from the area where the crew is working. Fans in Paris quickly discovered that if they got a little too close, they were shooed away. But if they watched from nearby and kept cool, they could see as much as they wanted. We appreciate enthusiasm but also want everything to go smoothly.  We also will wait to report about Craig being at any particular location until after he has left, to help keep distractions for the crew to a minimum.

We’ll have more on the upcoming shows and more Craig-related news later tonight.

MacIntosh for your Mac (or PC)

New desktop wallpapers for the Disney/Pixar animated feature film Brave have been released, giving us an up-close look at the main characters of the story. You can see them all at Collider.com. Among them is the surly Lord MacIntosh, voiced by none other than Craig Ferguson.


CBS Renews 18 Shows
CBS announced Wednesday that it will be renewing 18 of its prime time dramas, comedies, reality shows and news magazines.  As the Washington Post reported, a few shows not listed could still be renewed but are either in negotiations or will be competing with new pilots for space in the network’s schedule.  There was no word in the announcement about the status of contract negotiations between CBS and David Letterman or Craig Ferguson, although observers believe both will likely be signed for another two years.

A Good Cuddle

The Huffington Post enjoyed Jason Segel’s appearance on the Late Late Show where he and Craig discussed the merits of cuddling.



Alice Meets the End of the Show
What happens when you cross the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland with the cat graphic at the end of the show? This, apparently, as designed by the RSA’s @hoborobot:

Losing It As Larry
Back in 2005, Craig attempted a sketch with an impression of Larry King but cracked himself up:

Video courtesy: Tappanga

Tonight’s Guests

Wednesday on the Late Late Show, Craig’s guest is TV personality Regis Philbin.  Thursday, watch for an encore presentation of the show from November 10th, 2011 with actress Molly Shannon and actor Michael K. Williams.



Guest Update

Jeffrey Dean Morgan

Some guests have been added to the list for new episodes of the Late Late Show coming up in April, including Julie Chen, Ted Danson, Hannah Simone, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jennifer Coolidge, Laura Linney and Alex Dryden.  You can see the most current listings on our Guests page.

Ted On Radio
Comedian Ted Alexandro, who has opened for Craig Ferguson several times during his stand up comedy tour, will be taping a radio show for the BBC called The News Quiz USA. The show will be hosted by frequent LLS guest Lewis Black later this month in New York. Alexandro tweeted:

I’ll be on the panel of a BBC radio show hosted by @TheLewisBlack, recording in NYC March 20 at 7pm. Get tickets here. http://www.thegreenespace.org/events/thegreenespace/2012/mar/20/news-quiz-usa-lewis-black/

Peabody and Sidekicks
Back in April of 2010, Craig talked with Entertainment Weekly‘s Ken Tucker about his interview of Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Peabody Award the show received in recognition, which had just been announced. He also mentioned that he was about to add a “robot skeleton sidekick” to the show.

Bones Buzz

Entertainment Weekly and other outlets are buzzing about the possibility that the Fox series Bones could be renewed for at least one more season. And if the show’s creator and past LLS guest Hart Hanson‘s recent comments at PaleyFest are any indication, there may be two new seasons ahead.


Monkey Shines
Craig hands over the show opening to Kronos, King of the Monkey People, who extols the virtues of being a monkey:

Video courtesy: deianj

Tonight’s Guests
Monday on the Late Late Show, Craig chats with actress Leslie Bibb and writer/producer David Milch.  Tuesday, Craig welcomes actor Jason Segel and actress Jennette McCurdy.

Finds on eBay

The RSA’s @gemgem347 was looking around UK version of eBay and spotted three Craig Ferguson-related items including a collection of autographs from a 1989 fundrasier, a brochure from Craig’s 1990 turn in the Rocky Horror Show in London’s West End and a theater program from the same show. It’s nice to see some hard-to-find items from more than 20 years ago.



Basketball Bonanza
Enjoy three fresh episodes of the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson this week, followed by a visit from the re-run fairy on Thursday and Friday. Those episodes late in the week could end up being on very, very late at night in the eastern and central time zones because of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. The games often end after midnight eastern time, which means your late local newscast and The Late Show with David Letterman will be pushed back, leaving the start time for Craig at around 1:30am.  Check local listings for the time “in your region.”

Daylight Saving Time begins at 2am local time on Sunday, March 11 in most of the United States and Canada… although not in Arizona (except the Navajo Reservation), most of Saskatchewan and parts of British Columbia. Everywhere else, “spring forward” and set your clocks one hour AHEAD before heading to bed on Saturday night. This would also be a good opportunity to check the batteries in your smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector and make sure your fire extinguisher is charged.

Paging Doctor Freud
Craig reminds us to turn something forward (or back) on Saturday night:

Video courtesy: Fergufool

March Birthdays
Saturday, March 10th is the birthday of Oscar-winning screenwriter Paul Haggis (a Canadian with a very Scottish-sounding name), country singer Carrie Underwood and actor/home-gym pitchman/all-around badass Chuck Norris… although if Chuck Norris says it’s his birthday, it’s his birthday no matter what day it is. Sunday, March 11th marks the birthdays of Doctor Who actors John Barrowman and Alex Kingston, plus the late great writer Douglas Adams. And coming up on Monday, it will be time to celebrate the birthday of Liza Minnelli. Do we have a picture of Liza Minnelli?