Craig Ferguson

Normally I'd stay far away from a celebrity autobiography: surely these people are hugely compensated (fawned on, outrageously paid, treated like mini-gods) for doing their jobs. Do we really need to hear in their own words their early struggles that lead to their fabulous successes? Well, in this case, the answer is possibly yes. This guy knows how to write and a well written book is always a pleasure.

I don't watch Craig Ferguson's show much but it's only due to the late time slot (12:35 show more AM!). When and if Letterman retires and this hugely funny and inventive Scot takes over, even the 11:35 PM start time will be a stretch. But I have taped the show when he has an interesting guest and he's always entertaining. Plus I love his accent even if it has been watered down by living on this side of the Atlantic for 15+ years.

But here's why I chose to read his book: during one of the shows I taped, he began his "monologue" by mentioning Britney Spears. This was when she was shaving her head and breaking windows with baseball bats. Just the mention of her name sent the audience tittering, but Ferguson held up his hand and told them not to laugh. He explained that when he watched the endless videos of her, he saw a young woman in pain. He said that he didn't know what her issues were but he had experienced his own life going off the tracks - and without the media scrutiny. He delivered a heartfelt and eloquent lecture on how this person needs our sympathy, the people who love her need some support to help her get on the right track and the dogged pursuit of her needs to stop. I thought: this guy is more than a crazy-haired Scot with a weird laugh.

Growing up in Glasgow, Ferguson came from a loving family but a horrendous school system where corporal punishment was the rule. He left at 16 and apprenticed as an electrician but the lure of show business - and of America - was always there. Eventually he joined several punk rock bands as a drummer and thoroughly enjoyed the lifestyle of drugs and alcohol. He segued into stand up comedy, inventing the alter ego "Bing Hitler" and became a hit at the Edinburgh Festival. His engagingly quick wit got him gigs in television and he connected with Britain's up and coming actors. But just as things should have been improving, they began to deteriorate. His dependence on alcohol caught up with him and after an aborted suicide attempt - he was on the way to jump off London's Tower Bridge when a friend asked him to come have a sherry, distracting him from doing the deed - he got a newly sober friend to take him to rehab.

It's a common story and Ferguson's telling of it is forthright. He gives much credit to his many friends who believed in him and employed him when he dried out. He blames himself still for the bad behavior that marked his first 30 years. Somehow he manages to inject lots of rueful humor into this sad tale - being self deprecatory is his stock in trade.

There are two keys to his success: his love of reading - he is completely self-taught - and a tenacious work ethic. The reading led to the writing of several movie scripts which he did while appearing as a regular on "The Drew Carey Show". These led to trying out for "The Late Late Show" and beating out three other, better known contestants for the job.

His initial reviews were awful but after taking the advice of veteran producer Peter Lasallie ("It's after midnight and they don't want you yelling at them. You have a creepy laugh: knock it off.") he hit his stride and loves his job. He also loves being an American and his riff on the inanity of patriotism being hijacked by one group - as if the other group isn't patriotic because they don't believe the same things - is wonderful.

I was hugely entertained by this book. I'd highly recommend that anyone interested listen to it rather than read it. Ferguson's humor, charm and talent come through and you don't have to stay up till all hours to enjoy it. show less

The Book Report: Scottish prole grows up in emotionally chilly, physically cold as hell Glasgow, turns to drugs and alcohol to fill gaping emotional void, screws over a variety of people as all alkies do, and one day wakes up to learn he doesn't like himself, his life, or his future. Rehab, restitution, success, and true love follow.

My Review: I herewith confess: If Craig Ferguson was even a teensy hint queer, I'd be on a plane to Cali and camped on his doorstep with flowers, candy, and a show more leg iron. He amuses and impresses me even more after reading his pretty darned candid memoir.

I'm a complete pushover for a man in a kilt anyway, but when he can act and tell jokes the way this man can...! Ferguson, the host of "The Late Late Show," made me laugh so hard I cried when he said of his son's mother: "No, really, she's a lovely woman. For legal purposes." I heard nothing of his show for the next five minutes because I was shouting with laughter, and Mr. Man was a little put out that I kept referring to that line (okay, I shamelessly stole it, and I still use it, and unless I get a cease-and-desist letter I'm gonna keep right on) to the point of having a jealous fit. (Thanks, Craig!)

I am also a sucker for men who come to the USA with dreams of success and end up in love with our amazing, incredible, flawed, imperfect, conservatism-ridden paradise. Ferguson fell in love with the USA in its warty glory, and he rightly credits this astonishingly open society with a goodly measure of his own success. His talent plays an acknowledged role, but he makes sure to tell his readers that his life wouldn't be possible anywhere else. It's very heartening to me, and it's an instructive reminder that, problems and blemishes be damned, the rest of the world rightly and justly thinks we're on to something here.

Lastly, but far from least, I'm a complete sucker for a good story told by a good storyteller, and this book most certainly is that. Ferguson can't resist telling tales, no doubt polishing them up a wee bit, but not always in his own favor. He can't resist making light of things that sink many an alkie person's life, and sank his own, and thus takes the ponderousness out of the idea of recovery. I've read a fair bit of recovery literature but I'm always fatally put off by the earnest, well-meaning "Amazing Grace"-ness of it all. A person's personal spiritual awakening is, and should remain, just that: Personal. In other words, BELT UP ABOUT JESUS. Ferguson not only does, he makes it clear that he has a BIG problem with religion. *swoon* My lands, just when I thought he couldn't get more magnetically, hypnotically gorgeously attractive!

So should others read this? Yes. It's fun, funny, and touching; it's honest and it's gritty; and in the end, it's a pleasure to get to know Craig Ferguson as well as if he were the bloke on the barstool next over. show less

Very good first novel. Nice bit of dark humor and does a crafty balancing act of being dirty, but not vulgar, and surprisingly moralistic without being preachy, even though several characters are in fact preachers. I liken it to a black sheep uncle that drinks a bit much, can't hold a job, farts in church and tells dirty jokes at supper, yet somehow is able to give good advice, even if he never heeds it himself.

Best for: Others seem to like this, and I don’t want to insult them or their taste, so I’ll just say — I’m not sure who it’s best for, but it sure as shit isn’t me.

In a nutshell: The lives of loathsome men and superfluous women intertwine in a weak, ridiculous, and boring novel.

Worth quoting:
Nothing. Nothing is worth quoting, unless it’s in an effort to point out how sexist and / or racist Mr. Ferguson’s writing comes across to me.

Why I chose it:
You all. You did this to me. I show more was not going to participate in the November book club, but I’m attempting to do a blackout BINGO, so I had to read it. I’m not pleased. I’ve not disliked fiction this much since those free Cinderella revisited books we got to review a few years ago.

Review:
No wonder I had trouble finding this book in Mr. Ferguson’s home country. They’re realy doing him a favor by pretending this book doesn’t exist. I ended up buying it via Audible, and listened to it on long runs so I could experience it in chunks. I took some notes on my phone as I ran, hoping that perhaps I’d be able to write that it started slow but ultimately won me over.

Nopety nope nope.

The plot itself is, I suppose, interesting. Maybe? I don’t know. I rarely read fiction, and I think the last fiction I chose with a male main character was The Martian three years ago, which I enjoyed. Generally speaking, though, I got enough exploration of the male experience in high school English. And this book certainly didn’t make me any more interested in seeking out male protagonists or anti-heroes.

There are few women in this book, and they all exist to serve the men. Even the most fully-formed woman, Claudette, is basically just there to help George figure some shit out. It’s frustrating and sexist. Mr. Ferguson is not good at writing women, and that is pissing me off again as I write this review, so I’ll just leave it there.

I also struggle with authors who make their characters so repugnant that they use slurs and are all universally bigots. Can it really be considered a thoughtful character choice when all of your characters are shitty bigots? I started to wonder if Mr. Ferguson just wanted an excuse to use racial slurs / crappy accents / racist descriptions of people. That seems unfair to Mr. Ferguson, but also, perhaps it’s something he should think about?

Finally, the thing that I think bothered me the most is that the simple act of “being fat” is apparently the most awful, disgusting, and evil thing Mr. Ferguson can think of. Saul is fat, other people are fat, and Saul is described as disgusting. This ventures over to ableist near the end, when Saul seeks healing (he’s now also in a wheelchair), and is told he can’t be healed because “that’s who he is.” Now, perhaps Mr. Ferguson meant something else, but I heard it as suggesting that if you’re fat and in a wheelchair, you’re a bad person. And I’m super not okay with that. I’m not okay with any of this lazy writing, but this got me so pissed I almost gave up on the book, but I only had a little bit left.

I’m flummoxed that this is the book that the CBR folks thought we all should read and discuss this fall. There are a bunch of different little side stories that theoretically could be considered interesting, but overall I was super bored, and when I wasn’t bored, I was pissed. Clearly I’m not the target audience, but I am having such a hard time figuring out what is appealing about it. show less