Production milestones The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

intertitle show s original opening credits.

ferguson s first show host on january 3, 2005. approximately first 2 months, continued predecessor s monologue format, reading 5–10 jokes cue cards. ad-lib between jokes, , noticed stuff in-between got reaction audience; after realization, decided , writers stop writing jokes.

by may 2006, studio 58, cbs television city venue show taped, had been updated digital broadcast solid state logic mixing console, needed 5.1 channel surround.

a new set debuted on july 24, 2006 episode. included miniature cbs airship floated along on backdrop depicting los angeles. in week of march 17, 2008, late late show debuted new set featuring desk interview area on raised platform; backdrop changed detailed representation of los angeles.

when 2007–08 writers guild of america strike began, show went reruns. resumed production on january 2, 2008 after worldwide pants , wga came agreement.

in 2008, worldwide pants incorporated signed product placement deal ford promote ford flex during late late show. 8 episodes ( 1 repeat ) of show included custom-written skits in ferguson played leader of scottish rap band called highlanderz (consisting of angus big ginger ferguson, philip howler mcgrade, , shannon bubbles mcgee), riding in flex traveled los angeles international airport cbs studio. skits shown on successive thursdays starting on september 4.

on august 31, 2009, show began broadcasting in high definition, featuring refitted studio , production facilities, along new show logo, new lights, opening title sequence features ferguson in iconic los angeles locations , , new arrangement of show s theme song.

craig ferguson press conference

ferguson s initial contract host 6 years, until end of 2010; of august 2007 telling television critics might not interested in contract renewal, though february 2008, publicly professing loyalty david letterman, saying: sit behind dave long sits there.

december 15, 2009 marked 1,000th episode host. occasion, puppets took on show; ferguson conducted entire show puppet wavy ranchero, , recurring sketches featured puppet replacements. guests, not puppets, included kristen bell, maria bello, , jason schwartzman. jason segel made appearance muppet dracula, performing musical number band broken west.

on march 31, 2010, grady college of journalism , mass communication of university of georgia announced late late show had won peabody award excellence in television evening archbishop desmond tutu episode. according peabody board, scottish-born ferguson has made late-night television safe again ideas .

on april 3, 2012, cbs announced ferguson agreed contract extension through 2014. part of deal, cbs co-produce show worldwide pants , cbs television studios , show move bigger studio. although financial terms not disclosed, extension included raise beyond variety reported had been us$13 million salary.

final seasons , departure

following departure of jay leno tonight show , late night shake-up @ nbc, both late show , late late show struggled in ratings against jimmy fallon , successor @ 12:30 a.m. et/pt, late night seth meyers. in april 2014, letterman announced plans retire. cbs passed on ferguson choose stephen colbert new host of late show beginning sometime in 2015, reportedly viewing ferguson of niche performer succeed letterman. ferguson s contract, expired in june 2014 stipulated letterman s successor @ 11:30 , if not given position, paid compensation of as us$10,000,000. letterman s contract included right control time slot follows , produce late late show , production company, worldwide pants, selected ferguson host , whom contracts negotiated. letterman s departure, cbs become sole producer of show , network determines done time slot , contract negotiated. cbs had been ambiguous in regard ferguson s future host of late late show. cbs chief executive leslie moonves said in interview: 12:30 in air [...] obviously, we’re considering sorts of candidates , women among them. woman great in late night. however, cbs entertainment chairman nina tassler said cbs management big fans of craig , craig here , doing show @ 12.30am, , love having him there .

chelsea handler had reportedly begun negotiations take on hosting of late late show when ferguson s contract expired; however, both handler , cbs later denied this, saying in fact in negotiations cbs syndication arm daytime show. john oliver reportedly approached cbs possible late late show host prior signing contract hbo, neil patrick harris , james corden.

on april 28, 2014, ferguson announced leave show in december 2014. had made decision prior letterman s announcement agreed delay making own decision public until reaction letterman s decision had died down. had intended leave in summer of 2014 agreed stay until end of year give cbs more time find successor. in statement following announcement, tassler said in decade host, ferguson had infused broadcast tremendous energy, unique comedy, insightful interviews, , of heartfelt monologues seen on television . in interview larry king, ferguson stated final episode of late late show him host air december 19, 2014.

in september 2014, comedian james corden announced host of late late show james corden, beginning in 2015. in november 2014, cbs announced jay leno ferguson s guest on final show; during december notable friends of show scheduled appearances in december included kristen bell, steve carell, jon hamm, rashida jones, mila kunis, thomas lennon, tim meadows (whose 41 appearances set show s record), jim parsons, michael sheen, ariel tweto, betty white, , henry winkler. meanwhile, several of ferguson s final episodes dealt distaste abstract expressionism—mark rothko in particular—and public reactions stance.

ferguson s final episode started usual cold open, time showing montage of friends show while performed dead man fall s song bang drum .

cameos included: kevin bacon, kyra sedgwick (plus dog lily), jack black, kristen bell, pierce brosnan, steve carell, don cheadle, kristin chenoweth, marion cotillard, tenacious d, jeff daniels, ted danson, kat dennings, julia louis-dreyfus, tony hale, carl edwards, cedric entertainer, jon hamm, sean hayes, samuel l. jackson, rashida jones, toby keith, jimmy kimmel, mila kunis, lisa kudrow, jane lynch, justin long, james marsden, matthew mcconaughey, mary mccormack, joel mchale, tim meadows, metallica, kunal nayyar, geoff peterson, regis philbin, ray romano, bob saget, william shatner, michael sheen, quentin tarantino, josh robert thompson, archbishop desmond tutu, henry winkler, shailene woodley, weird al yankovic, larry king, angela kinsey, betty white, thomas lennon, , various friends. pre-taped montage segued studio ferguson continuing song backed occasional semi-house band bone patrol, sex pistols guitarist steve jones, full choir, various celebrities, musicians, , friends of show.

the monologue began short time lapse of craig coming out start show through last 10 years, starting on first day (january 3, 2005) last. craig thanked comedic partner josh robert thompson, viewers, crew, , explained:

over years, going show out , around, or going , doing stand-up josh, ve come contact lot of people viewers of show, , although said goodbyes crew, people made show you. came show that, let s honest, bit of fixer-upper. kind of stayed way, hope ve done [...] maybe art grand word, think managed here make wasn t here before. in sense maybe piece of art, didn t exist , does. ve done here, doesn t go away because stopped doing it, stop doing , start doing else [...] maybe [...] later, or maybe go away , it! think more overwhelming else in experience of doing show making connection country became part of, astonishing me. in course of show became american, officially , particularly friends @ irs, fully-fledged american. however, can t member of club, didn t ask join, wanted show [...] , ve done show, , if indulge me in whatever m doing , come whatever next d grateful, because kids still young.

after reading last tweets & e-mails , doing final interview guest jay leno, show ended final segment: did learn on show on last 10 years craig? craig tells geoff wants find out real identity of secretariat is. asked lift mask, s revealed bob newhart. craig asks, bob newhart?! doing here? newhart replies, hey guy, s dream. craig wakes next drew carey nigel wick , proceeds spoof finales of newhart (the show dream), st. elsewhere (he imagined snowglobe), , sopranos (cut black journey s don t stop believin ).

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