# Craig Ferguson's experiment tonight(Stephen Fry) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 23, 2010, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craig-fergusons-experiment-tonight-stephen-fry/530184 "2010-02-23T22:30:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Achren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@Achren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achren)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craig-fergusons-experiment-tonight-stephen-fry/530184/21 "2010-02-24T06:44:44Z")
I’m enjoying this. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craig-fergusons-experiment-tonight-stephen-fry/530184/22 "2010-02-24T06:50:56Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > You should be able to watch it on Youtube tomorrow fairly easily, though I am not sure of the legality of this. CBS are well aware of it (Craig’s even following the most popular uploader, Malinky, on Twitter) and let it slide as long as certain copyright rules are adhered to on clips. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craig-fergusons-experiment-tonight-stephen-fry/530184/23 "2010-02-24T06:51:23Z")
Does he get a warning for accusing people of trolling? ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craig-fergusons-experiment-tonight-stephen-fry/530184/24 "2010-02-24T06:58:44Z")
Remember, this is the guy who had his 1000th show hosted with a puppet alter-ego. I’m most reminded by the wonderful _Later With Bob Costas_. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craig-fergusons-experiment-tonight-stephen-fry/530184/25 "2010-02-24T08:48:31Z")
While some of us, and, presumably, the critics, will love this, I prefer the zany. Nice change of pace, though. Maybe at sporadic intervals? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craig-fergusons-experiment-tonight-stephen-fry/530184/26 "2010-02-24T09:02:13Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > CBS are well aware of it (Craig’s even following the most popular uploader, Malinky, on Twitter) and let it slide as long as certain copyright rules are adhered to on clips. I was wondering why I found the full episodes linked so prominently from the official CBS clips without them being shut down the next time I checked a month later. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craig-fergusons-experiment-tonight-stephen-fry/530184/27 "2010-02-24T09:34:29Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > CBS are well aware of it (Craig’s even following the most popular uploader, Malinky, on Twitter) and let it slide as long as certain copyright rules are adhered to on clips. Yeah, the musical intros get shut down because of copyright issues on the music itself. > [@BigT](#): > > I was wondering why I found the full episodes linked so prominently from the official CBS clips without them being shut down the next time I checked a month later. I’m not sure what you mean, but CBS itself has these on a very short leash - they are only up on the CBS site for a few days or weeks before removal. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craig-fergusons-experiment-tonight-stephen-fry/530184/28 "2010-02-24T13:03:18Z")
I had no idea who Stephen Fry was until I saw this thread. So I looked him up on IMDb, and despite 97 acting credits and numerous photos… I _still_ have no idea who he is. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craig-fergusons-experiment-tonight-stephen-fry/530184/29 "2010-02-24T13:05:50Z")
> [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](#): > > Yeah, the musical intros get shut down because of copyright issues on the music itself. > > I’m not sure what you mean, but CBS itself has these on a very short leash - they are only up on the CBS site for a few days or weeks before removal. I mean that, if you go to an official CBS clip of the show on Youtube, in the related videos you’ll find a link to Malinky’s playlist, which contains nothing but unofficial videos of the episode. I would have thought something so blatant would have been squashed by CBS by now if they didn’t like it. They can find the guy in one click. For example, look at [this official clip](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bbaRyDLMvA). And look at the related videos. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craig-fergusons-experiment-tonight-stephen-fry/530184/30 "2010-02-24T13:27:01Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > I had no idea who Stephen Fry was until I saw this thread. > So I looked him up on IMDb, and despite 97 acting credits and numerous photos… I _still_ have no idea who he is. I know him a little. He was on a TV show in the UK with Hugh Laurie. And he was on \*Bones \*for a while (which I only recently started watching in reruns.) ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craig-fergusons-experiment-tonight-stephen-fry/530184/31 "2010-02-24T13:29:26Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > I know him a little. He was on a TV show in the UK with Hugh Laurie. And he was on \*Bones \*for a while (which I only recently started watching in reruns.) He’s also the voice to the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy in the recent movie. He was also part of Black Adder, a popular show around the Dope. Oh, and he was in V for Vendetta. He’s quite famous. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craig-fergusons-experiment-tonight-stephen-fry/530184/32 "2010-02-24T13:36:04Z")
> [@Wile\_E](#): > > Are we sure he’s gay and not just British? You can read about it here, if you like. Craig even called him a big “poof” in the previous day on his show. Then again, he called himself that and he isn’t gay. [10 Things you should know about Stephen Fry](http://www.digitalspy.com/showbiz/a75964/ten-things-you-never-knew-about-stephen-fry.html) ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craig-fergusons-experiment-tonight-stephen-fry/530184/33 "2010-02-24T18:00:32Z")
Sadly, I fell asleep after about 10 minutes. However, Dick Cavet used to do shows like this every once in awhile - most memorably with Kathryn Hepburn - without an audience and originally just a run-through for Kate to determine if she wanted to do this. Granted, during the show he mentions that staffers and gaffers had started to gather to watch, but it was without an audience and just a one-on-one interview with no music or other guests. They still repeat these shows on TCM sometimes. It is a great concept - assuming the guest warrants the attention and time. Don’t know if I would want to see the same show with Pauly Shore as guest, but if he had some super-star, or some really interesting guest who had a lot to say, this is a great method/approach to the interview. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craig-fergusons-experiment-tonight-stephen-fry/530184/34 "2010-02-24T18:39:19Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > I’m most reminded by the wonderful _Later With Bob Costas_. I thought I was the only one who remembered that show. With the right guest, he was great. I remember one with Paul Simon that was excellent. But I also remember him having Chuck Jones on, and he just couldn’t draw out any of the memories or inspiration that made his cartoons so good. I think this format is like a trapeze artist who works without a net; a way of raising the stakes and intimacy, but if it doesn’t work, look out. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craig-fergusons-experiment-tonight-stephen-fry/530184/35 "2010-02-24T18:49:37Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Granted, during the show he mentions that staffers and gaffers had started to gather to watch, but it was without an audience and just a one-on-one interview with no music or other guests. They still repeat these shows on TCM sometimes. > It is a great concept - assuming the guest warrants the attention and time. Don’t know if I would want to see the same show with Pauly Shore as guest, but if he had some super-star, or some really interesting guest who had a lot to say, this is a great method/approach to the interview. Well, like Craig said last night, this was how Tom Snyder used to host the Late Late Show. It would just be him and a guest in two chairs talking. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craig-fergusons-experiment-tonight-stephen-fry/530184/36 "2010-02-24T20:10:52Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I thought I was the only one who remembered that show. With the right guest, he was great. I remember one with Paul Simon that was excellent. But I also remember him having Chuck Jones on, and he just couldn’t draw out any of the memories or inspiration that made his cartoons so good. Sounds like a rare dud - either that, or rose-colored glasses. But I remember Costas interviewing people that I would assume to be utter bores and making them seem like sparkling wits. Jones may have told the same stories so many times that he was just tired, or stuck in a groove. > [@](#): > > I think this format is like a trapeze artist who works without a net; a way of raising the stakes and intimacy, but if it doesn’t work, look out. Craig has the benefit of being on so late at night and being so cheap to produce that he can experiment. He stacked the deck by trying this with a genuine comic genius (Peter Cook being unavailable due to being dead.) ---
**Author:** ![maladroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craig-fergusons-experiment-tonight-stephen-fry/530184/37 "2010-02-24T20:15:36Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > By the way, this is not all that different than Tom Snyder’s Late Late Show from a few years ago. Yep, that’s what I thought too. I used to love Snyder’s show, especially when he had Bonnie Hunt on. I hope Ferguson does more of this. I will miss the “What have we learned on the show tonight Craig” kitty though. And Aquaman. And “Has there been a murder?” ---
**Author:** ![maladroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craig-fergusons-experiment-tonight-stephen-fry/530184/38 "2010-02-24T20:18:53Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Sadly, I fell asleep after about 10 minutes. > However, Dick Cavet used to do shows like this every once in awhile - most memorably with Kathryn Hepburn - without an audience and originally just a run-through for Kate to determine if she wanted to do this. > Granted, during the show he mentions that staffers and gaffers had started to gather to watch, but it was without an audience and just a one-on-one interview with no music or other guests. They still repeat these shows on TCM sometimes. > It is a great concept - assuming the guest warrants the attention and time. Don’t know if I would want to see the same show with Pauly Shore as guest, but if he had some super-star, or some really interesting guest who had a lot to say, this is a great method/approach to the interview. The Dick Cavett/Betty Davis show is awesome. I’d totally watch Pauly Shore in an interview. He’s not his character. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craig-fergusons-experiment-tonight-stephen-fry/530184/39 "2010-02-24T23:05:21Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Sounds like a rare dud - either that, or rose-colored glasses. But I remember Costas interviewing people that I would assume to be utter bores and making them seem like sparkling wits. Jones may have told the same stories so many times that he was just tired, or stuck in a groove. I got the sense that it was just the wrong medium for him. Chuck Jones could create characters, he could tell a perfect story in pictures, and he could marshal the talent of people around him to bring them to light. Sitting and talking wasn’t where his talents lay. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craig-fergusons-experiment-tonight-stephen-fry/530184/40 "2010-02-24T23:24:14Z")
> [@maladroit](#): > > Yep, that’s what I thought too. I used to love Snyder’s show, especially when he had Bonnie Hunt on. I hope Ferguson does more of this. I will miss the “What have we learned on the show tonight Craig” kitty though. And Aquaman. And “Has there been a murder?” I liked that he mentioned “colortinis” and so forth, the way Tom did. Does anyone know if Tom Snyder’s mother is still alive? He used to talk about her often. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craig-fergusons-experiment-tonight-stephen-fry/530184.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/craig-fergusons-experiment-tonight-stephen-fry/530184.md?page=3)