Ed McMahon likes Craig Ferguson
Posted by Richard on February 27, 2007
I’ve expressed my admiration for Craig Ferguson before. I’m pleased to discover that the legendary Carson sidekick, Ed McMahon, shares my opinion:
Johnny Carson‘s former sidekick, Ed McMahon, says he still watches some of today’s late-night talk show hosts, but only one guy comes close to being as good as the late Carson.
"Johnny certainly set the standard and raised the bar very high for anybody else to follow," notes McMahon, who many remember for his catch-phrase "Heeere’s Johnny!"
"I don’t think there’s anyone who even approaches Johnny. The closest thing I think is Craig Ferguson," he states. "He’s got that self-deprecating humor that Johnny had. He really does a very lively monologue, which he seems to make up as he goes along. He gets one subject matter and then goes with that. I really like his show, and I like him."
I couldn’t agree more. Ferguson is down-to-earth, genuine, and funny. For example, here’s Craig Ferguson talking about cars:
You know what’s amazing? It’s NASCAR. Anybody who criticizes NASCAR has never been there. Forget watching it on TV, it’s not the same. You have to be there. If you have even the tiniest amount of testosterone in you — the tiniest amount — and you hear one of those engines — BRRRRRWRRRRR! — all of a sudden, you’ve got a mullet.
Craig Ferguson on dental care:
The dental hygienist — I just lie to her. "Have you been flossing?" I just lie. It’s the only two times I lie — to the dental hygienist and when I’m in a relationship. That’s why I can’t date a lady dentist. The lies would mash together — and the truth could come out.
On the Welsh:
I’ve gotten drunk with every ethnic group on earth. You can’t outdrink a Welshman. The Welsh make Australians look like Mormons.
On MTV’s 25th:
I"m so old, I remember when MTV showed music videos.
MTV gave us Real World… Hats off to them. They figured out how to make reality TV more boring than reality.
McMahon is right — Ferguson is by far the best. As McMahon noted (along with Walter in Denver, commenting here), Ferguson’s monologues are remarkably spontaneous and inventive. I wish to hell that the increasingly tiresome Letterman would retire and let Ferguson take his slot.
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