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Craig’s Avatar
Craig decided to update his avatar from his Paris photo near the Eiffel Tower to a drawing of him done by the late Al Hirschfeld, who for decades was the most noted caricaturist of the stars, from Broadway to Hollywood and beyond.  If you had your portrait done by Hirschfeld, you knew that you had “made it”.   The image of Craig is actually a detail from a larger drawing of the cast of The Drew Carey Show.  If you look very closely at Craig’s hair on the right side, you’ll see the word “Nina” embedded in it.  That was a whimsical touch Hirschfeld added to nearly all of his drawings, as a tribute to his daughter.

Craig Caricatures and Drawings
Craig’s avatar got us wondering about how many different drawings of Craig there are out there.  We found several and have linked directly to each artist’s page to give them proper credit:

Have you done a Craig drawing, sketch, painting or computer-aided illustration you’re proud of? Send us a link and we’d be happy to post it.

Creative Spelling
Late on Thursday evening, Craig tweeted:

Nighttime dogfood run. Gelson’s parking lot in Hollywood is as sleazy as a Bangcock strip joint. I gotta come here more often. #thanksdogs

Within moments, the Twitter spelling police were all over him, so he tweeted:

Hey good spellers! I wanted to spell Bangcock the way I did but thanks for letting me know how awesome you are. #Bangkok. #Iknow

We liked the first spelling better. He later responded to a viewer with a double joke:

“You left Kierkegaard out of starbucks mono. What would he have said if he worked there?” Either(cream)/Or(sugar)? #wouldyoulikeadanish?

Meanwhile, LLS Producer Michael Naidus enjoys his workplace:

Why I love my job, Part 25: Just walked by a big box at CBS labeled: “Cagney + Lacey – Season 2.”

On Friday, Craig retweeted a photo:

“@NeliasBitch: @CraigyFerg Wilford Brimley spotted in SF? http://pic.twitter.com/XRDHUc3X” What the hell? #brimleynation

He also added some new terminology for the bedroom:

Alarmed to learn that an”Eiffel Tower” is a real sexual position. I’m more”Leaning Tower of Pisa”. #itsquitenormallotsofmenarelikethat.

To which Canadian comedian Colin Mochrie responded:

@CraigyFerg I’m more Old Faithful.

Fort Myers Tickets On Sale Soon
Tickets to see Craig Ferguson live in Fort Myers, Florida will be going on sale Sunday, October 2nd (online only) at 10:00am ET and via the box office the following day at 10:00am. There is no word yet on when tickets for Craig’s show near Miami will be available but we’ll keep you posted. Tickets for Craig’s other shows in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Tallahassee, FL are all on sale now… book early to avoid disappointment! We’ve updated our Live Comedy Tour page with the most current times, links and information.

Tonight’s Guests
Friday on the Late Late Show, Craig chats with actor Seth Rogen and actress Judy Greer.  CBS tweeted:

Seth Rogen visits @CraigyFerg, plus Judy Greer from #TwoAndAHalfMen shares her quirky wedding ideas on #LateLateShow, 12:37am ET/PT 2nite!

“As Live” Mostly Means What It Says
When a viewer asked LLS Producer Michael Naidus on Twitter Thursday whether there are un-cut versions of the Late Late Show, Naidus responded:

Not sure what you mean. Our shows generally air as taped, without any (or with very very few) edits.

Perhaps the viewer was wondering about Gerard Butler‘s (presumably) naughty joke that was edited out of last Friday’s show.  Or maybe they’re looking for a version of the show that includes Craig Ferguson‘s humorous cussing (without any added oo-la-la’s or tutsi-fruitsi’s).  But no such versions exist outside of the studio.  The show is recorded as if it were live and airs almost exactly as-is.  The small edits viewers routinely see are those to take out the naughty words uttered by Craig, Geoff Peterson or a guest, so the network doesn’t get in trouble with broadcast regulators.

Edits Help with Timing
There are also occasional small edits to make sure the show ends on time.  Have you ever seen a segment interrupted by a two-second video clip of the audience?  Sometimes its from a camera looking directly at the audience, and more often it’s from the rear of the studio looking across the heads of the audience to the stage.  Those video clips are used to cover an edit in the segment, to ensure it fits within the available time.  You might notice them during a monologue, a tweetmail segment or on rare occasion during a guest segment.


Timing the Show
Although the show is scheduled to be an hour long when it reaches your television at home, it actually has between twelve and fourteen minutes of commercial time each night, which means the producer needs to provide the network with a show that lasts exactly within the remaining 46-48 minute time frame.  Each day, the producer is given a time sheet with the planned commercial break times.  Some commercial spots are reserved for the network to run ads for big companies advertising across the whole country (including the famous “boner pill” ads) and some are for the local CBS stations (perhaps a local auto dealership or law firm in your area).  From those time sheets, the commercials are subtracted from the hour and the rest of the show must be “back-timed” to ensure it fits within the time remaining.  A typical show rundown might look like this:

0:00:00 12:37:00am  Cold Open (3:00 min)
0:03:00 12:40:00am  Show Open (Video/music, pictures of guests w/announcer) (0:40 sec)
0:03:40 12:40:40am  Break (2:30 min) (Mix of network and local commercials)
0:06:10 12:43:10am  Re-Open (music as Craig walks on stage) (0:20 sec)
0:06:30 12:43:30am  Monologue (10:00 min)
0:16:30 12:53:30am  Break (2:30) (Usually all network commercials)
0:19:00 12:56:00am  Tweetmail Segment (6:00)
0:25:00 1:02:00am Break (3:30) (Mix of network and local commercials)
0:28:30 1:05:30am Guest 1 (13:00)
0:41:30 1:18:30am Break (2:30) (Usually all local commercials)
0:44:00 1:21:00am Guest 2 (9:00)
0:53:30 1:30:30am Break (2:00) (All network commercials)
0:55:30 1:32:30am ID (:30 sec) – “If you’re in the Los Angeles area and want to attend…”
0:56:00 1:33:00am Break (2:00) (All local commercials)
0:58:00 1:35:00am What did we learn Segment (:50 sec)
0:58:50 1:35:50am Credits (:30 sec) (Music and credits as needed)
0:59:20 1:36:20am Logo (:05 sec) (Show ends with Worldwide pants logo)
0:59:25 1:36:25am Break (:30 sec) (Local commercial)
0:59:55 1:36:55am Station ID (Your local station’s call letters and logo)
1:00:00 1:37:00am End

Making it Fit
An assistant producer and the director are always keeping an eye on the clock.  If Craig talks longer than expected in the monologue, the tweetmail segment might be shortened.  If a guests talks too long, the next guest’s time may be shortened or the second guest might even be moved to another night… and the “What did we learn” segment might run longer that night.  If after the taping is completed and when it is double-checked, the time is off by a few seconds, one of those little edits is made to make sure the show fits.  Once the show is taped and edited, it is sent to New York.  In the past it was sent via satellite although today it is more likely to be FTP’d as a video file from a server in LA to a server in NY.  It is added to another server, with commercials added in place and will be played back to stations across the country at the appropriate time for your time zone.  Your local station knows approximately when its own local commercial breaks will pop up during the show.  The network runs public service announcements during those local breaks in case the local station doesn’t have any commercials to run or if something goes wrong while they are being played back.

Thank the Whole Team
It’s easy to see why along with a talented host, it takes a large group of creative and technical people to bring the Late Late Show to your home every night.  When you watch the show tonight, think about the writers, the segment producers, the talent bookers, the director, audio and video operators, sound technicians, camera operators, lighting designers, teleprompter operators, electricians, maintenance engineers, floor managers, set designers, prop masters, costumer, hair and makeup people, graphic artists, and of course the video editors who make it all possible.

Canned Ham?
Craig mused today on Twitter about his pose on the Does This Need To Be Said? poster:

http://twitpic.com/6sjh1p Was it wrong to sniff my finger during the photo shoot? #smelledlikeham.



Tonight’s Guests
Thursday on the Late Late Show, Craig tries an awkward pause with reality TV personality Carson Kressley and chats with actress Michelle Monaghan.  Kressley tweeted:

Thanks @CraigyFerg for having me on your show tonight. I always have a great time! #smellslikeham to me too!

Friday, Craig interviews actor Seth Rogen and actress Judy Greer.

Connecticut Tickets
Don’t forget!  Tickets go on sale Friday morning at 10:00am for Craig’s October 21st  live stand up comedy performance in Stamford, CT.  Book early to avoid disappointment!  Find the links and all the info on our Live Comedy Tour page.

More White Powder at CBS
Los Angeles police were called to CBS Television City for the second time in as many months to investigate an envelope containing white powder; this time sent to Dancing With The Stars.  A hazardous materials team determined the powder was harmless.  Two previous incidents involving powder mailed to the studio include one sent to Craig Ferguson two months ago and another sent to DWTS contestant Bristol Palin last year.  Today’s envelope was not directed to any specific cast member.  Among the media outlets reporting on the incident were TMZ, the Los Angeles Times, Extra TV and the Reuters wire service.

Mythbusters Rock
Wednesday’s USA Today contained a lengthy article about the Discovery Channel show Mythbusters.  Meanwhile, after eschewing the micro-blogging service for years, Mythbusters host Jamie Hyneman has joined Twitter.  His partner, Adam Savagetrumpeted the arrival of his mustachioed friend:

ATTENTION!!! MR. HYNEMAN IS NOW ON TWITTER. You can follow him @JamieNoTweet (he probably won’t reply to you. Just sayin’)

So far, Jamie has tweeted twice and has more than 31 thousand followers.

Tweeting about the Dogs
Craig took a moment to consider what goes on in the minds of his three dogs, and tweeted late Tuesday:

I just realized that my dogs think that every time I go out I go to the park. They’re idiots. #sometimesidogotothepark. #creepyflasher.

Tonight’s Guests
Wednesday on the Late Late Show, watch for actress Rashida Jones and author Jonathan Ames.  CBS tweeted:

Rashida Jones visits the #LateLateShow, plus @CraigyFerg holds a therapy session for @JonathanAmes, 12:37am ET/PT 2Nite!

On Thursday, Craig welcomes reality TV personality Carson Kressley and actress Michelle Monaghan.

Guest Update

Liza Minelli

Fifteen new names have been added to the upcoming guest list for October, including Claire Danes, Steven Wright, Jim Parsons,  Kathy Bates, Rosie Perez, Paula Poundstone, Dr. Mehmet Oz, the always funny Betty White and Craig’s doppelgänger Liza Minelli!  See the most complete, up-t0-date listings on our Guests page.


Craig Adds Connecticut to Tour
Craig Ferguson has added a Friday night stand up comedy show in Stamford, CT on Friday, October 21st to his 2011 tour.  The Stamford Center for the Arts is less than an hour from Manhattan, so it’s another great east coast opportunity to see Craig and live and in person. Tickets go on sale Friday at 10:00am ET.  Find the ticket link, location and other details on our Live Comedy Tour page.

Craig’s assistant Rebecca Tucker Promoted
As we posted earlier in the day, the Hollywood trade publication Variety reports that Craig has promoted his assistant, Rebecca Tucker to President of his production company. In case the link pops up requiring you to subscribe, here is the full article:

[stextbox id=”custom”]Sep. 27, 2011 4:00am PT
Ferguson shingle taps prez
Rebecca Tucker named prexy
By Cynthia Littleton

Rebecca Tucker is scaling Green Mountain West, having been promoted to prexy of Craig Ferguson’s CBS TV Studios-based production shingle.

Tucker has been a right-hand lieutenant to Ferguson since she joined his camp in October 2008 as an assistant. She’s done everything from help edit his book “American on Purpose” to serving as a road manager for his comedy tours.

Tucker’s promotion was a natural move after Ferguson’s previous exec, Tracey Pakosta, departed Greem Mountain this month after nearly five years to take the reins of comedy for Universal Television (Daily Variety, Sept. 13).

After spending so much time with Ferguson in recent years, she has an innate sense of the kind of material he responds to.

“Getting to watch his comedy mind work every day has been more of an experience than I could every have imagined,” Tucker told Variety. “I really want to help bring his brand to other areas of television.”

Among the CBS projects Green Mountain is shepherding is a romantic comedy from writer Ed Weeks and the Ferguson-hosted ameshow “Celebrity Name Game,” with Courtney Cox and David Arquette’s Coquette banner.

Tucker got her start in the publishing department at ICM in Gotham, and she worked as an assistant at Cruise/Wagner Prods. after relocating to L.A. When she first met with Ferguson, she was wary of becoming a celebrity’s assistant, but he quickly won her over.

“He’s the most supportive person I’ve ever worked for,” Tucker said. “It’s rare in my experience to find someone that I respect so much and who entertains me on such a regular basis.”

Ferguson and Green Mountain are repped by WME.
[/stextbox]

In her role as Craig’s assistant, Rebecca has been helpful and kind to us, answering many questions and steering us in the right direction as we do our best to report what’s going on with Craig, his live performances, the Late Late Show and more. For her patience, insight and tireless effort, she has our deep appreciation and thanks.  Congratulations to Rebecca on her new position!

No Clogs for You
Craig turned his attention to footwear on Tuesday, tweeting:

I cant keep quiet about this anymore. Unless it’s 17th century Holland, no one should wear clogs. #doyourownfingerindykejoke.

That drew a response from the Mythbusters‘ Adam Savage:

@CraigyFerg you DO know that James Hyneman’s preferred footwear is clogs, don’t you?
We’ve also seen tweets from several roboskellies who are proud of their clogs.  Craig also retweeted LLS Producer Michael Naidus‘ tweet:

“@michaelnaidus: Happy Birthday, Wilford Brimley!”. #Brimleynation

We add our birthday wishes for Mr. Brimley.  Craig confirmed on the show Tuesday that Brimley will appear on the show on November 23rd, the night before Thanksgiving.



Rooney to Retire
An institution of Sunday night television will be retiring after a final broadcast this Sunday.  Andy Rooney has been a fixture for 30 years on the CBS News magazine show 60 Minutes with his brief, quirky show-ending essays, often commenting on the minutiae of daily life.  Entertainment Weekly is among the many outlets reporting the news.

Craig and Elmo
In case you missed today’s Sesame Street, here is Craig’s appearance with Elmo:

Video courtesy: ChildrensTelevisionWorkshop

Tonight’s Guests
On Tuesday, Craig has a busy show with actress Mary Lynn Rajskub, author Jackie Collins and music by Trombone Shorty.  On Wednesday, watch for actress Rashida Jones and author Jonathan Ames.







DVR Reminder:  Craig Ferguson will appear on Sesame Street on Tuesday on PBS stations across the country.  Because local stations decide when to air the program, be sure to check the local listings for the time “in your region”.  The Children’s Television Workshop tweeted on Monday:

Elmo: Elmo and @CraigyFerg are going to do an experiment tomorrow [Tuesday] to see how many chickens it takes to lift up Mr. Craig!

Pennsylvania Charity to Benefit from Show
When Craig performs live in Holland, PA (north of Philadelphia) on October 22nd, the proceeds from the show will be going to a charity called the Miracle League of Northampton Township.  The RSA’s @SexyCraigFerg spotted a brief article on buckslocalnews.com that mentioned the benefit.  We tracked down the organization’s About Us page, so you can see what your ticket dollars will be supporting.  So many of Craig’s charitable efforts slip by unnoticed but this is a great example of his generosity.  You can get tickets information, times and directions on our Live Comedy Tour page.

Midwest Memories
Craig flew from LA to Minnesota and back this weekend on the airlines rather than his usual private plane.  There were no late flights available by the time his show wrapped up Sunday night, which meant an early wake up call Monday morning:

Well Asscrackofdawn, here we are again. So long Midwest I’m headed back to LALA. I’ll miss your unnerving genuine friendliness.

And he greeted California upon landing:

Landed LA. Wake up children of the sun. I am come home. #bitloonyfromtiredness. #LeTitsNow

Craig’s opening act over the weekend was Chad Daniels, a Minnesota comedian who has appeared on the Late Late Show before.  Check out his website to learn more about him and where he’ll be performing.




Ask A Gay Robot
Check out the transcript of an extensive Q&A session on Sunday with Geoff Peterson and Josh Robert Thompson on Reddit.com.  About three quarters the way down the page is a table that summarizes most of the answers.

Comedy Special
The wire services, including UPI.com are picking up on the news that Craig’s Does This Need To Be Said? comedy special will air on Comedy Central October 15th and will be released on Region 1 DVD (US/Canada) on October 18th.  If you can’t wait, it’s available on Netflix now.

Nerdist TV Show Draws Raves
Twitter was humming Saturday night with praise for the debut of the television verions of the @Nerdist Chris Hardwick‘s podcast, featuring Craig as well as the eleventh Doctor Who, Matt Smith as his guests.  In case you don’t have BBC America, the show is available on iTunes.

Tonight’s Guests
Monday on the Late Late Show, Craig talks with actor Jonah Hill and we get to hear country singer Chris Young.  CBS tweeted:

2nite @JonahHill reveals his unusual weight loss tricks. Plus, Chris Young performs on #LateLateShow w/ @CraigyFerg – 12:37 am ET/PT

Tuesday, it’s a busy day with actress Mary Lynn Rajskub, author Jackie Collins and music by Trombone Shorty.

Back to LA
After a pair of weekend stand up comedy shows in Minnesota, Craig Ferguson will be back in Los Angeles Monday for another week of all-new shows from CBS Television City.  Craig still has five more live performances on his fall tour schedule, including a stop near Philadelphia, one in New Jersey and three in Florida.  Be sure to check out our Live Comedy Tour page for up-to-date links to venue and ticket information.

Minnesota Fans Love Craig!
Here’s a sampling of the comments that popped up on Twitter after Craig’s show:
[stextbox id=”custom”]

@kottke_truck: Great show tonight @CraigyFerg!

@Lbgold: @CraigyFerg your show was wonderful. Thank you so much for a great evening.

@ilove_gd: just got done watching @craigyferg at mystic lake! i love that man! 🙂

@juanDring_ruby: Absolutely outstanding! Thanks @CraigyFerg for a great evening at mystic lake casino!!

@Sayla_Smiles: Just saw @CraigyFerg’s SOLD OUT show at Mystic Lake. So so great. Hilarious. Tired from laughing lol.

@somelutheranguy: Great show tonight in MN for @CraigyFerg I was not disappointed 🙂

@Emma_Strand: @CraigyFerg another fantastic show!

[/stextbox]

Duran Duran in October
The band Duran Duran confirmed on their Twitter and Facebook accounts that their appearance on the Late Late Show has been confirmed for October 28th.  Thanks to the RSA’s @RamonaLeigh for spotting the news.



Another Case for Who
A writer on Cracked.com talks about how his re-introduction to Doctor Who moved him in unexpected ways and made him a true fan.  Thanks to the RSA’s @singdowahdiddy for the link.

Underpants or Not?
A few days ago, we had a video clip of Craig showing how he tucks his shirt in his underpants.  But sometimes, there are no underpants involved.

Video courtesy: Fergufool

This Week’s Guests

Jackie Collins

It’s another week of all-new episodes of the Late Late Show, beginning Monday with actor Jonah Hill and country singer Chris Young.  On Tuesday, Craig’s guests will be actress Mary Lynn Rajskub, author Jackie Collins and musician Trombone Shorty.  Wednesday, watch for actress Rashida Jones and author Jonathan Ames.  Reality TV personality Carson Kressley and actress Michelle Monaghan will be in the studio on Thursday.  And on Friday, Craig welcomes actor Seth Rogen and actress Judy Greer.

Craig in Minnesota
Craig Ferguson is taking his stand-up comedy show to Minnesota this weekend, with performances on Saturday and Sunday night at the Mystic Lake Casino in Prior Lake, just south of Minneapolis.  He tweeted on Saturday morning:

I’m at LAX for flight to Minneapolis. Noisy, busy and irritating. And so is the airport. Oy.

Upon arriving in the Twin Cities, he added:

http://twitpic.com/6q0rz9 Sometimes I think the Midwest may be a total perspective vortex. With cheese.

Craig’s assistant Rebecca Tucker is enjoying her time up north as well:

love sitting in restaurant and overhearing strangers at table next to me discussing touch my glittery ball vs. mouth organ vs. awkward pause

Stage Photo and Craig Thanks the Crowd
Rebecca retweeted a photo from @philcottone, who captured the stage lighting before the show.

After the Saturday show, Craig tweeted in response to a fan:

“@Ken_in_CID: @CraigyFerg loved the show. Makes the five hour drive with the wife well worth it!” // Praise indeed. TY.You were a great crowd.

Fans at the Show
Along with @philcottone and @bgrhubarb, (who tells us she enjoyed Craig’s opening act Chad Daniels) the RSA’s @HMSFox was in the crowd Saturday night. She told us:

Awesome as always! Had a few new areas he extrapolated in, such as the shark with two penises (a full demonstration of said shark) And he stated talking about how Midwesterners are creepily genuinely friendly-unlike LA, so it’s disconcerting.

She added:

We’ve got people hanging out by the electronic bilboards taking pics of themselves w Craig when his pic rolls around. Adorable. :-)  // Got chance to hang out w @bgrhubarb n now time 4 home. Eh, what can u say–Craig makes me laugh like an idiot hyena. Smiles all way home 🙂

A few tickets remain for Sunday’s show, so if you have the chance, don’t miss it!

Whomobilia
The @Nerdist Chris Hardwick has a collection of Doctor Who memorabilia.  BBC America’s Anglophenia blog has the pictures.

End of September Holidays

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Saturday, September 24th is Family Health and Fitness Day, National Hunting and Fishing Day and National Punctuation Day!  It’s also the birthday of Muppet creator Jim Henson and novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald.  Sunday, September 25th is Gold Star Mother’s Day and National One Hit Wonder Day… songs that made it big but were the only chart hit for their singers.  Examples include  “Come on, Eileen” by Dexie’s Midnight Runners, “It’s Raining Men” by The Weather Girls (written by Paul Shaffer), “True” by Spandau Ballet and “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) by The Proclaimers.  What is your favorite one hit wonder?  Let us know in the comments below.  We’re partial to The Starland Vocal Band‘s “Afternoon Delight”:

Video courtesy: retroj25