Well, everyone. The time has come.
The Late Late Show has ended an era: Craig Ferguson is leaving the program as host after almost ten years and over 10 seasons (I know, it confuses me too), from January 3, 2005 to yesterday, December 19, 2014.
Even though this show was second fiddle to David Letterman's Late Show (which itself will reach the end of its own era early next, when Letterman leaves for retirement, with Stephen Colbert taking reigns--as his replacement), it had a brand that made it stand out from all the other late-night shows, which was a huge feat, because all the late night shows of this era had identities that were genius amazing in their own right. That brand was absurd, surreal, in-your-face humor that is oddly refined, yet deliciously awkward in one strange, yet beautiful package.
Many elements made this show work; the loose, no-cue-cards interviews with guests, the running gags, Craig banging the camera at the start, his puppets, his chats with Geoff Peterson, Geoff Peterson itself/himself, horse Secretariat, ect. All of this showed how free-flowing, yet tightly-wound and smart as a whip it could be and did.
So let'[s check out my review of the very last show and relive the every moment from start to finish, shall we?
We start with drums...many drums...among other things...as they were performed (sort of) by
And that segued into a live performance in the studio with Craig taking lead continuing the great song. Man, was that awesome! The feeling was amazing, the performers were great, the in-house choir adding in made it even greater and Craig singing made it even more greater. This entire performance was awesome!
After the commercial break, and a wonderful montage of him walking out to the set from the very first show to his last, Craig comes out for the final time to make his final monologue. And just like all the others, it was a barrage of strange stories, creepy jokes with Geoff and peeks of Secretariat. And of course, it was hilarious!
After another commercial break, it was time for Craig to answer questions sent by viewers via e-mail and Twitter. In the first question, Jack from New Jersey asked Craig to do a bit where a doorbell rings (via a doorbell under his desk) and he asks who's at the door. (if you're a fan, you KNOW who it is. If not...) It's Secretariat!! A horse!! He runs into and around the studio while Craig, Geoff and the audience dances in ultra-happiness. After that...it's onto the next question. It does seem weird to you, but an event to us, the robot skeleton army.
Anyway, a woman from Lexington, Ky., asks Craig, in this, the final Tweetmail in the history of this Late Late Show, what Ass Mode means. (If you've watched the show, during the "Check the Tweets" jingle, the phrase "Ass Mode" appears somewhere in all of the jingles. You've probably been curious about it and what it means too.) So Craig (actually Geoff) finally answers the immortal question: Ass Mode is the way of life.
...okay?
Anywho, it's onto the final interview, with Craig talking with legendary stand-up comedian and former host of The Tonight Show, Jay Leno.
It was a wonderful low-key interview. It was intimate, funny, heartwarming, goofy, absurd, lacadaisical, and just all-around amazing/ The interviews that Craig make with his guest are nothing like the other talk-show hosts. They are barely about things the guest would come to promote (TV shows, movies, books, etc.), and instead talk about anything on the guest's mind (and anything that's interesting and or/funny).
After that, it was time for the final edition of
and this leads to this near-immortal question: Who is the guy (or woman) whom has controlled Secretariat all this time?
The answer would finally be revealed. It's...Bob Newhart.
"Hey, guy, it's your dream."
Yes, a dream as Craig as a swirl of the screen, the sound of the TARDIS revving up, and my continuous, long-winded typing reveal to be a dream of...Mr Wick??
He wakes up to Drew Carey (!!!) and tells him the odd recollection of imagination. Drew tells him it's not true and the two go back to sleep. That's right, this is the dream of Mr. Wick, who is sleeping with Drew Carey after the end of The Drew Carey Show. This was a Shout-Out to the finale of Newhart, with a close-up to a snow-globe with Craig, Geoff and Secreteriat inside being another to the finale of St. Elsewhere and a quick screen blink-out to black as an ode to the final episode of The Sopranos.
Boy, was that weird...but that was what made the show great. And perfect.
I will miss The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson so much. It's humorous, intelligent and wacky; everything just makes me happy to be alive so I can tune in. Craig has been a surprisingly great host; his bits, pieces and touches to his part of the franchise have made it one of the most genius and underrated shows on TV I've never watched a show like it before and (since it'll be on YouTube forever) I never will again.
Goodbye, Geoff. Goodbye, Secretariat. Goodbye, Sid the Cussing Bunny. Goodbye, Kronos the monkey. Goodbye, Wavy Rancheros. Goodbye, all the other puppets that appeared on the show. And Goodbye, Craig. Your hosting threw in a new era in the talk show genre that has imprinted a goofy and genius naivete and changed it for better or worse (more better than ever would be worse). Since then, your presence has still been felt and talk will never be the same.
Thank You.
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