Why does Craig Ferguson whack the camera?

Cafe Society
#1

I’ve recently come to love watching Craig Ferguson, at least his opening monologues. But what’s with his walking up to the camera and whacking it every now and then? It almost seems like he’s pressing a button. (Er, where’s the cameraman?)

I’ve tried searching on this, and some people say it’s like he’s affectionately thumping the viewer on the shoulder, using the camera as proxy. Kind of weird.

Mind, I think Craig’s all that and a bag of chips, but this little quirk kind of takes me out of the moment every time he does it. Just wondering if anyone knows what’s up.

#2

Is this one of the late night shows? lol shows how often I stay up on a work night.

#3

Yup, after Letterman. Hubby gets home from work around 11 pm CST, so it’s right in our prime viewing time.

#4

That would be his “schtick.” Much like Bob Hope’s was the golf swing and Dave Letterman’s is that weird thing he does with his tie.

#5

That’s what it feels like to me too, only it’s more of a pat than a thump. I like it.

#6

“Whacking the camera”? Can’t say I’ve heard it called that before, but the answer may be “because he can”…

#7

Lately he’s been playing with the camera a lot; appearing from below, or using it as a puppet stage, or just shaking it around. It’s what he does while he’s trying to think of an interim joke between the scripted ones.

#8

Isn’t that what Conan O’brien does?

#9

<stereotype type=“scottish”>
At least he isn’t headbutting it.
</stereotype>

#10

I bet Letterman did it before either of them.