Whatever happened to Craig Ferguson?

Introduction

Whatever happened to Craig Ferguson?

He started out on the "alternative comedy" circuit with a character called "Bing Hitler". He then performed plenty of stand up routines as himself, and even supported Harry Enfield on his early tours. He also had quite a few tours of his own, at least one of which was recorded and broadcast on Channel 4 many years ago. This was a great performance and I remember much of it well. Craig Ferguson was a very good stand up.
 
He also had a TV career (he played Confidence in the Red Dwarf episode Confidence and Paranoia), as well as other shows of his own.
 
 

In 1994, he moved to Los Angeles, something he had always wanted to do, and promptly disappeared from most people's radars. But then he got a role in The Drew Carey Show and "made it big". After many years on the show, he got a new job, becoming the current host of CBS' The Late Late Show. During this time he has also appeared in films such as The Big Tease, Saving Grace, and I'll Be There. His own "American dream" was completed when he became an American citizen on February 1, 2008.

And he's still occasionally doing what he is best known for (to most people in this country at least). Stand up. This show was recorded in Boston in October 2008, and was broadcast on Comedy Central (the US version at least) on March 22nd, 2009.
 

 

Video and Audio

You get a 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen (NTSC as this is an American title) transfer and a DD2.0 stereo soundtrack as first broadcast. Nothing earth shattering, and nothing to complain about either.
 

 

Extra Features

Two extra things here.

Firstly, a speech he gave at Faneuil Hall on July 4, 2008. This was an interesting insight into his true feelings about citizenship.

Secondly, an interview in which he talks freely and openly about lots of subjects. This was also very interesting, and perhaps more insightful than the stand up show itself!
 

 

Conclusion

Right, let's clear up the PR fluff first. This DVD proclaims "his first-ever stand-up special". Which it clearly isn't. He's been doing stand up for over 20 years. His first stand up performance to be released in America doesn't have the same ring to it does it?

As I mentioned in the introduction, I have fond memories of Craig Ferguson's stand up performances. He performed some of the first routines about the stupid answers given on Family Fortunes. He spoofed 500 Miles by The Proclaimers long before they became popular again.
 

 
Which is why this DVD was such a disappointment. The "new" American citizen Craig Ferguson seems to have lost the fire and ire of youth. There's plenty of autobiographical stuff here, from talking about drugs and alcohol to riffing on his early years in America. But there are no real targets, nothing that seems to fire him up like it used to.

So, if you're an American and you've never seen Craig Ferguson performing stand up before, you might like "his first-ever stand-up special". If you've seen him before, you may find this a pale imitation of the old Craig Ferguson. This particular letter from America is not what it used to be...