When it rains it pours in Richmond, and this past weekend, it was raining objectionable, funny men.
When it rains it pours in Richmond, and this past weekend, it was raining objectionable, funny men. Friday saw the much-anticipated arrival of infamous director John Waters at the Byrd Theater, while Saturday marked comedian Craig Ferguson’s performance at the Altria Theater, part of his ongoing New Deal tour. Craig Ferguson is, perhaps, best known as the former host of ten years for CBS’ “The Late Late Show”, as well as playing Drew Carey’s boss on “The Drew Carey Show”.
Opening for Ferguson that night was Canada’s Mark Forward. As it happens, “forward” would be a good way to describe the comedian’s style, as he riffed on the uselessness of anyone past the age of 100, parents allowing strangers to beat their kids, and the poor decisions of musically inclined homeless people. For someone from a country known for its politeness, Forward was as abrasive as he was funny, and an appropriately inappropriate opening act for Ferguson.
Ferguson said he was very excited to be at the Altria, or as he referred to it, the “Poop Yogurt Theater”. Having arrived in town a day early, Ferguson had some time to explore Richmond, upon which he observed Richmond is full of history and cat ladies. Apparently, one confronted him on his lack of moustache, despite posters for his show advertising added moustache. Ferguson said he gave up on moustaches after his widely criticized attempt at rocking one while hosting “The Late Late Show” saying it made his mouth look like a sideways vagina.
From there, Ferguson went on to cover a broad range of topics, from the terror of ‘70s décor, to the majestic experience of using a Japanese toilet, to the dangers of assigning human emotions to cats, and the tragedy of not being “The Late Late Show’s” host during Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. He even had enough time to tell the oldest joke in recorded history.
Anyone who has seen “The Late Late Show” under Ferguson’s reign knows that some of his best work comes when he is simply reacting to his surroundings. Some of the most outrageous moments from Saturday’s performance came from him teasing the less than spot-on spotlight operator, confronting synchronized hecklers, catching security personnel asleep on the job, and his concern over a flatulent lady in the front row (or was that just her chair?). These combined experiences prompted Ferguson to laugh and refer to Saturday’s show as the most informal he’s done.
Every comedian has their shtick, and Craig Ferguson’s shtick is being perfectly frank. Even when dealing with commercial breaks and censors, Ferguson managed to make “The Late Late Show” the most sincere show on late night. Free from these restrictions, he is able to give the full measure of his brand of sophomoric, raunchy, insightful, personal, and joyous comedy. From his tumultuous past in Scotland to his newfound success in America, Ferguson never fails to remind us that truth is often stranger than fiction, and that every day is a great day for America.
