Craig Ferguson, the former late-night comedian, is set to bring his “Fancy Rascal” standup comedy tour to the Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in West Virginia this Saturday night. The tour is named after his Jack Russell dog, and according to Ferguson, he chose this name because it’s not likely to annoy anyone. Despite the name, he assured fans that the dog will not be on stage.
In a conversation with WTOP, Ferguson explained that he made a decision six years ago to no longer include politics in his comedy routines. His goal is to create a 90-minute show that is anecdotal, personal, and universal, focusing on themes such as love, sex, death, weather, family, and food, but without any political content.
Ferguson, who was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1962, shared that his formative comedy idol was Scottish comedian Billy Connolly, as well as American standups like Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Steve Martin, Bob Newhart, and Joan Rivers. Despite his early career as a drummer in a punk-rock band, Ferguson transitioned into independent films and sitcoms before becoming a household name as the host of “The Late Late Show.”
During his tenure on “The Late Late Show” from 2005 to 2014, Ferguson made countless fond memories, including an episode with Archbishop Desmond Tutu that won a Peabody Award. After departing from the show, he went on to host “Celebrity Name Game” from 2014 to 2017, for which he won two Daytime Emmys.
Ferguson shared that he enjoys hosting game shows because it allows him to simply turn up and play the game without knowing who will win. Despite stepping away from the late-night show hosting role, he remains diplomatic about his successor, James Corden, saying that he respects anyone who takes on that challenging role.
For those interested in catching Craig Ferguson’s “Fancy Rascal” standup comedy tour at the Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races, ticket information can be found on their website. Fans can also listen to the full conversation with Jason Fraley on the “Beyond the Fame with Jason Fraley” podcast.