Hi reddit! Craig Ferguson here. You might know me from late night and as host of History’s new show Join or Die which premieres this Thursday. Looking forward to your questions – I’ll be back at 1PM to start answering. Go nuts. Ask away.

Proof: http://imgur.com/DPFZ01a

Edit @ 2:00PM: I'm heading out. I'm overwhelmed by your response. I apologize profusely to all the questions I did not get to. Speak again soon.

Comments: 1618 • Responses: 47  • Date: 

ViewtifulJoey1230 karma

How's Geoff?

realcraigferguson3560 karma

Geoff is dead and well.

Beerquarium1200 karma

Hi Craig, I’ve been a huge fan for a long time and still watch The Late Late Show on the internet because I love it so much. Is there a historical topic you’ve wanted to discuss on your new show but couldn’t because it is too depressing, dirty, or in some other way controversial?

realcraigferguson2521 karma

Oh yes hundreds, but if if the show is successful, the network will be powerless to stop me from covering it in the future.

Crimsic1156 karma

Hi there Mr. Ferguson! There's a void in my heart that The Late Late Show used to fill. I'm happy you're back on TV in an unscripted format. Congrats on the new show!

My question is if you could travel to any place in any time in history, where and when would you be?

realcraigferguson1632 karma

I think I'd like to go to the Reign of Akhenaten in Ancient Egypt. I think it was a mysterious and controversial moment in history, arguably the first monotheist. And I'd like to see if he looked that weird.

napulitano794 karma

Have you ever considered a musical reunion with Peter Capaldi?

realcraigferguson1640 karma

Anyone who wants that never heard us play the first time. Let it go.

milksteaklover716 karma

Huge fan, Craig.

I HAVE TO KNOW: In the early days before Secretariat got his own stable, did he just wait next to the stage in case you rang the bell and summoned him?

realcraigferguson814 karma

Yep.

Taibi01716 karma

Thanks Craig for providing me with a load of laughs when I got back from university. Cheered me up a lot and I can't wait to see the new show!

I was wondering if you are gonna try get Stephen Fry on your show? I loved the LLS with him as a guest and I'm sure he would be so interesting to listen talk about history.

realcraigferguson763 karma

Yes, yes I would love to have Stephen on the show.

Tkav2014673 karma

Did you figure out what Reddit is?

realcraigferguson1235 karma

I'm still a little confused.

punerisaiyan584 karma

Do you have any good life advice?

realcraigferguson2333 karma

Have a good time. Don't be a dick.

SamiAbK519 karma

Is today a great day for America?

realcraigferguson983 karma

Depends on who you are and what you're doing.

The_Angry_Clown484 karma

Who's your favourite philosopher and why?

realcraigferguson1560 karma

I think having a favorite philosopher will be like having a favorite color. It's pointless.

zengei401 karma

Hi Craig,

  1. If you were doing Join or Die a 100 years in the future which person or persons alive today do you think you would be talking about? 1000 years?
  2. Do any of your regular Late Late Show guests make an appearance?
  3. At any point during LLS did you think "this is too weird even for me"?

realcraigferguson841 karma

  1. Difficult to say. Not Kardashians though.
  2. Absolutely, I always try to book people that I know and like.
  3. No, I haven't thought that since the last time I took LSD.

icantchooseausername379 karma

Hey Craig, is any part of you jealous of the current crop of late night hosts getting to do material on the 2016 presidential election?

realcraigferguson1393 karma

Not really, I'm kind of bored with it already.

pipsdontsqueak339 karma

Hi Craig,

Your interview (more of a discussion) with Stephen Fry without an audience is one of the most fascinating things I've ever seen and easily one of my favorite moments on television. Do you think you'll do more interviews like that in the future in that sort of late night setting or perhaps in a different medium?

P.S.: Loved you as Gobber in How to Train Your Dragon.

realcraigferguson291 karma

Yes, absolutely.

bardmike334 karma

Why do they put turnips on top of haggis?

realcraigferguson750 karma

Where else are you gonna put them?

gogojack269 karma

Hello Craig and happy anniversary.

I asked Eddie Izzard this same question, and I'd like to see if you can corroborate...

Those segments you did with him on the Late Late Show(apart from the actual interview)...were they scripted? Or improvised?

Also, I really miss Wavy.

realcraigferguson444 karma

Eddie and I always improvised, we never scripted anything.

collage_dropout254 karma

What's something not a lot of people know about you?

I made this for you! Enjoy!

realcraigferguson428 karma

I am an excellent actor.

julianjacquin208 karma

Loved reading your story in "American on Purpose" years back; any interest in writing a new biopic to recount your recent events?

realcraigferguson269 karma

Yeah, always kicking something around, dunno what it's going to be.

GreenCristina188 karma

Hi Craig!

(It’s almost 5am in Australia so I’m literally posting this and going straight back to sleep.)

You’re basically one of my favourite people ever and The Late Late Show was incredibly special to me during my uni days. I miss it and you very dearly! I’m excited about Join Or Die though, so I decided to make a subreddit for it (/r/JoinOrDieHIST – I’ll make it look prettier later) for news and discussion of episodes etc. I may have to do some unspeakable things to be able to watch it *muffles voice* in my region but it will happen.

Anyway! I have a few questions:

  1. Do you have any plans of touring Australia, ever? (I visited LA for the first time in June and was so sad to have missed your tenure on TLLS, as it was my dream to sit in Lesbian Row)
  2. Would you support a campaign for you to be Peter’s next companion in Doctor Who? (Side note – are you two in touch often?)
  3. Who’s a guest we should look forward to seeing on Join Or Die?

Thank you for doing this AMA!

realcraigferguson294 karma

  1. Yeah, I'd love to tour Australia but I'd have to wait until everyone's awake.
  2. I have no ambitions in that department.
  3. The polite ones, they're my favorite.

AsinineToaster27152 karma

In no more than three sentences, why should I watch Join or Die?

realcraigferguson921 karma

Watch it if you want. I'm not your parent. It's a free country.

mallcop114151 karma

Yo Craig!

What inspired you to get the Join or Die image as a tattoo when you became a citizen, as opposed to other 'Murican imagery?

realcraigferguson373 karma

No, that's the image I thought was appropriate and what I thought looked coolest on my rather girlish wrists.

oreesama148 karma

what's the weirdest thing you ever had to do in a show?

realcraigferguson354 karma

Weirder than interviewing Regis? I dunno if it gets weirder than that.

Ceilipunk144 karma

What's the one thing your tired of people asking you?

realcraigferguson470 karma

Yes, that question.

Metfan722142 karma

Who was your favorite puppet from the group (not counting Secretariat or Geoff Peterson)?

realcraigferguson317 karma

Wavy Ranchero the crocodile/alligator/crocodile.

lawngeese_spiders136 karma

You've been an author, a screenwriter, an actor, a talk show host, a game show host, a stand up comedian, and a musician. Is there one you find to have been most satisfying, and if so, why? Likewise, has one been least satisfying?

realcraigferguson328 karma

I think they're all aspects of the same thing. How do you choose to express yourself? Do you text, email, write a song, do you deliver the message in person. It's all just expression and communication.

chandlersdame115 karma

Promos have mentioned Plato, Marx, Cicero, Luther, etc. Do I have to know all that stuff in order to fully appreciate Join or Die? I stopped reading those guys when I discovered pulp fiction.

realcraigferguson227 karma

No, and in fact if you do know all that stuff, you might appreciate it less. You'll know more than me.

EmoBrachiosaurus112 karma

What is your opinion on the giraffe?

realcraigferguson253 karma

Not bad. You could add another half, though.

liamquane109 karma

What makes attracted to Psychology and Psychiatry as practices? The Late Late show has a really good system of "just talk." How did that come about?

realcraigferguson170 karma

I think it begins with Freud, doesn't it?

Seth199392 karma

Hi Craig, What is the most interesting new fact you learned while making "Join or Die" and are there any new stand up comedians you enjoy that we should be on a lookout for? Really looking forward to watching the new show, best of luck with it.

realcraigferguson203 karma

Too many new facts to mention. My job on Join or Die is not to be the expert, but to the the pupil.

liamquane84 karma

Do you have any writing advice?

realcraigferguson242 karma

Yes: don't stop.

Lizam61480 karma

What has compelled you to look at The world through the lens you're using for this new show? What period of history or what aspect of politics are you most excited to take on?

realcraigferguson223 karma

Because history is the story of all of us. It's psychotherapy for the entire species.

RocketMan196780 karma

You've seen genuinely interested in space exploration. Would you ever want to do a PSA for NASA, be involved with a space documentary (provided Morgan Freeman's hasn't already booked them all for infinity), or even travel to space yourself?

realcraigferguson174 karma

I would do any of that and being even near Morgan Freeman is something that I enjoy immensely.

cave_of_kyre_banorg79 karma

As a toddler, my daughter loved Shaun the Sheep. I noticed in the opening credits of one episode, "The Big Chase", one of the writers was Craig Ferguson. Was this you? It's been bugging me for years.

realcraigferguson97 karma

Nope! Wasn't me.

suzannej829679 karma

Hello Craig:

Just wanted to know what made you want to do this show?

realcraigferguson193 karma

It's the type of show that I wanted to see. It covers conversations that I wanted to have.

madaboutculture70 karma

Hi Craig! Your Late Late Show is my favorite tv thing ever, so thanks for all these years! Question: would you ever come to Europe with your stand up show?

realcraigferguson111 karma

Maybe. It's being talked about.

EmoBrachiosaurus65 karma

Craig! Fellow pilot here, although on the helicopter side, are you still flying around out there? Earn any new ratings lately?

realcraigferguson148 karma

I've never flown helicopters, they scare me. I like my aircrafts to have wings.

CaptainPotter64 karma

Hey Craig, awesome to see you here. Are you thinking about getting another tattoo any time soon?

realcraigferguson161 karma

I'm always thinking about getting more tattoos, but as I age it's harder to work on slack skin.

bgrhu60 karma

Who or what would you like to see featured on US currency?

realcraigferguson292 karma

Scrooge McDuck, he's Scottish-American.

Bardfinn57 karma

One question:

What is the cleanest joke you know?

Thanks!

realcraigferguson171 karma

I don't know that I know any.

liamquane55 karma

Do you have any directorial advice?

realcraigferguson202 karma

Don't hire me as a director.

Alicat6542 karma

My son has a chance to study in Scotland next year. What should he expect at university? What should he try to take from the experience?

realcraigferguson239 karma

I don't know, I didn't go to university. That's why I'm hosting Join or Die and not a guest on Join or Die.

mrzevon41 karma

Hi Craig, let me just say that I'm a huge fan and you never failed to make me laugh! Would you ever consider doing a travel show?

realcraigferguson84 karma

Yes.

REdd0641 karma

Do you think history repeats itself? Or are we heading for something wonderfully unprecedented?

realcraigferguson175 karma

No, I think that patterns tend to repeat themselves in human behavior. That's why the study of history is necessary, to avoid mistakes we've already made.

rkt88edmo40 karma

So looking at the web page at History channel, and given the name, it seems like a USA centric show.

Is that the plan or will you ultimately delve into other parts of history and will you have to change the show name or create spin offs?

Although I suppose the Join or die covers most of human history if you read it a different way.

realcraigferguson96 karma

No, it's about all history, not just US history.

p96128 karma

Halò Craig!

If you could meet any 3 people, dead or alive, who would they be?

realcraigferguson85 karma

I don't do lists.

pgem3428 karma

What is the best thing that has come from your celebrity?

realcraigferguson95 karma

I don't really consider myself a celebrity.

nihlifen17 karma

What's your favorite historical moment that's happened in the last 24 hours?

realcraigferguson43 karma

I don't know everything that's happened in the past 24 hours!