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Eiji Wentz (ウエンツ瑛士, Uentsu Eiji^?, born October 8, 1985) is a Japanese singer, entertainer, and actor. He is a member of the singer-songwriter duo WaT, and belongs to the production company Burning Productions.

Early career[link]

Born in Mitaka, Tokyo to a German American father and Japanese mother,^[1] Wentz became involved in the entertainment industry at a very young age. Wentz initially started as a model at age 4, and made his acting debut as the role of Chip in the Four Seasons Musical Troupe Production of Beauty and the Beast. He became famous as a child actor as a regular on the NHK television show Tensai Terebi-kun (天才テレビくん^?) where he played bass guitar and piano at age 10. During live performances, he played the acoustic bass as well as the keyboard. He started learning the guitar from age 17.

He originally wanted to be a fashion model, but he was too short to become one.^[2] When he terminated his contract with Tensai Terebi-kun, he decided to get away from show-business, but after the recommendation of Hiromi Go, he entered Burning Productions and became a tarento.

He began his acting career at the age of 18, when he played a minor role in the NHK television series Toshiie To Matsu.^[2]

In 2007, he started to appear in several of Cocorico's comedy shows as Shorty Tanaka (ちっこい田中, Little Tanaka), and since Tensai Terebi Kun, he is a deshi (exclusive student) of Yoshimoto comedian Hosei Yamazaki.^[3]

Musical career[link]

After Tensai Terebi-kun ended, Wentz continued to play music and started the band WaT with Teppei Koike. They started in 2002 with street performances. In February 2004, they released an indie-label CD. In August 2005, they signed with Universal Music Group and had their major debut in November 2005.

Popularity[link]

His popularity may be derived from his self‐mocking "comedian" character, as he often talks about his "foolishness", short height, and lack of English skill (his father is American but he can't speak English).^[2]

Personal life[link]

Wentz is a follower of the baseball team Saitama Seibu Lions.^[4] He was once invited to the Lions' victory ceremony in 2008, and has a large collection of baseball cards. He also has over 800 manga.^[4]

Works[link]

Variety television[link]

• Hayami English Network (1994–1995)
• Tensai Terebi-kun / Tensai Terebi-kun Wide (April 1995 – March 2000)
• Chikara no Kagiri Go Go Go!! (October 2001 – February 2002)
• Shūkan Tokudane Kazoku!! (October 2002 – December 2002)
• F2/F2-X (October 2002 – September 2004)
• Nōnai Esthe IQ Supli (May 2004 – March　2009, as host)
• Pretty Kids (October 2004 – March 2005, as host)
• Hanataka Tengu (April 2005 – September 2005)
• Barioku! (October 2005 – March 2006, as host)
• Ame nimo Makezu (April 2006 – September 2006, as host)
• Ainori (April 2006 – March　2009, as host)
• Ponkikki (April 2006 – March 2007, as host)
• D no Gekijō (September 2006 – September 2007)
• Dokusen! Kinyōbi no Kokuhaku (October 2007 – March　2008)
• Kentei Japon (April 2008 – September 2008)
• Atarashii Nami 16 (October 2008 – March 2009, as host)
• Jinsei motto mankitsu　hour　Tokimeke! Week wonder (October　2008 – February　2009)
• Sakiyomi (July 2008 – present)
• Super Surprise (April 2009 – present, as host)
• Minna no Enquete Show Honne no Dendou!! Shinsuke niha wakarumai (May 2009 – present)

Television dramas[link]

• Kyūmei Senshi Nano Seibaa (1995), a drama within the NHK show Tensai Terebi-kun
• Toshiie Tomatsu (2002) as Mori Ranmaru
• Tentei Kazoku (2002) as Tomoda Yūki
• Gokusen, part 6 guest star (2002) as Yūki Masato
• Raion Sensei (2003) as Furuta Takumi
• Fujiko Hemingu no Kiseki (2003) as Ōtsuki Urufu
• Aa, Tantei Jimusho, part 3 guest star (2004) as Inaba Yusuke
• Tadashii Renai no Susume (2005) as Takeda Hiroaki
• Rondo, part 1-2 guest star (2006) as Toda Masato
• Kirakira Kenshūi (2007) as Tachioka Ken
• Nodame Cantabile in Europe Lesson 1 & 2 (2008) as Franck
• Wagaya no Rekishi (2010) as Maruyama Akihiro

Movies[link]

This biographical section of an article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (May 2010)

• Kamen Rider The First (2005) Mitamura Haruhiko
• Animation movie Brave Story (2006) Ashikawa Mitsuru
• Lovely Complex (2006) Dancing Yoshiko
• Captain Tokio (2007) Furuta
• Gegege no Kitarō (2007) Kitarō
• Gegege no Kitarō: Sennen Noroi Uta (2008) Kitarō
• Nodame Cantabile: Saishū Gakushō (Part 2) (2010) Franck

Solo singles[link]

• Awaking Emotion 8/5 / my brand new way (April 27, 2007)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official site (Japanese)
• WaT Official site (Japanese)
• Universal Music site (Japanese)

Rashad Evans
Evans at the UFC 145 pre-fight press conference
Born	Rashad Anton Evans (1979-09-25) September 25, 1979 (age 32) Niagara Falls, New York, United States
Other names	Suga,[1] Sugar, Suga Shad[2]
Nationality	American
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight	204 lb (93 kg; 14 st 8 lb)
Division	Light Heavyweight (205 lb) Heavyweight (265 lb) (The Ultimate Fighter)
Reach	75 in (191 cm)
Stance	Orthodox
Fighting out of	Boca Raton, Florida, United States
Team	Imperial Athletics
Rank	Black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu[3] Black belt in Gaidojutsu[4]
Wrestling	NCAA Division I Wrestling
Years active	2004–present
Mixed martial arts record
Total	20
Wins	17
By knockout	6
By submission	2
By decision	9
Losses	2
By knockout	1
By decision	1
Draws	1
Amateur career
Total	2
Wins	2
By submission	1
Other information
Occupation	Professional Mixed martial arts Fighter
University	Michigan State University Niagara County C.C.
Spouse	LaToya
Children	3
Notable relatives	Lance Evans, brother
Notable school(s)	Niagara-Wheatfield High School
Website	http://www.rashadevans.tv/
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog
last updated on: July 22, 2011

Rashad Anton Evans (born September 25, 1979)^[5] is an American mixed martial artist from Niagara Falls, New York, currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Evans won the heavyweight division of The Ultimate Fighter 2. Evans lost the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship to then undefeated Lyoto Machida at UFC 98.^[1] As of November 2011, Evans is currently ranked as the #3 Light Heavyweight fighter in the world by Sherdog^[6] and Yahoo! Sports.

Wrestling career[link]

Wrestling out of Niagra Wheatfield High School, Evans twice made it to the state finals tournament of New York by winning his weight class for his county, in which he received All-State honors both times. In 1997 he placed 4th in the state at 145 pounds. In 1998 he placed 4th in the state at 171 pounds. In 1999 he entered the National Junior College Athletic Association National Championships for the 165 pound weight class in which he finished in 4th place. Competing once again at this tournament in 2000, he was the champion of the 165 pound weight class.

Moving on to the NCAA Division 1 wrestling, Evans competed for Michigan State, in the Big Ten conference. In 2002 he finished in 4th place in the conference championships, losing a decision to fellow future UFC competitor Jacob Volkmann in the third place match. In addition to Volkmann, this weight class also saw more future UFC competitors with Gerald Harris and Josh Koscheck competing in it this year. In 2003, Evans again competed in the 174 pound weight class, capturing 3rd place in the Big Ten Championships. Entering the NCAA Division 1 championships on top of this 3rd place finish, Evans won his opening match before losing a close 3-0 decision to the eventual national champion, Robbie Waller. Staying alive through the consolation bracket Evans pinned his next opponent before being matched up with legend Greg Jones, a 3x National Champion who would finish his college career with a record of 126-4. Evans pulled off an upset and won 3-2, becoming one of only 4 people to defeat Jones in his college career. Evans lost his next match, which would have qualified him for All-American status, in a close 3-2 decision, ending his college career. He finished his career at Michigan State with a record of 48 wins and 34 losses. ^{[7] [8] [9] [10]}

Mixed martial arts[link]

Early career[link]

In 2004, under the tutelage of veteran wrestler and MMA fighter Dan Severn,^[11] Evans competed in five professional mixed martial arts fights, winning all five. This led to his selection as one of the nine heavyweights to compete on The Ultimate Fighter 2, a reality TV series on Spike. The season began airing on August 22, 2005, culminating in a live finale between the final two fighters of each weight division, held in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 5, 2005.

The Ultimate Fighter[link]

At 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) and 225 pounds (102 kg), Evans was the shortest and the second-lightest of the nine heavyweight competitors.^[12] He was considered the underdog in each of his fights, but made it to the finals by defeating Tom Murphy, Mike Whitehead, and Keith Jardine all by decision. During his tenure on the show, Evans was criticized by opposing coach Matt Hughes for his showboating during fights, but the two eventually settled their differences, and Hughes even cornered Evans for his semifinal bout. In the finale, Evans defeated 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) Brad Imes by split decision, thus winning a three-year, six-figure contract with the UFC and a brand new car. After The Ultimate Fighter, Evans joined Greg Jackson's Submission Fighting camp along with fellow competitor Keith Jardine, who would eventually become his training partner and good friend.

Ultimate Fighting Championship[link]

Evans dropped down to light heavyweight after the show, deciding he would have a better chance of success in a lower weight class.^[13] His first fight under the contract took place on April 6, 2006 against Sam Hoger, who had been a semi-finalist on The Ultimate Fighter 1. Evans defeated Hoger via split decision despite nearly falling victim to a kimura submission at the end of the second round.^[14]

Evans followed with a victory by majority decision over The Ultimate Fighter 1 finalist Stephan Bonnar on June 28, 2006. Evans maintained control throughout the fight with repeated take downs, including a number of slams in the center of the cage and went on to secure the victory.^[15] Three months later, Evans faced Jason Lambert at UFC 63. Lambert, riding an eight-fight win streak, was seen as Evans's first real test at 205 pounds. Evans controlled the fight from early on, and knocked Lambert out with punches from the mount in the second round.^[16] It was his first stoppage victory in over two years.

Evans next headlined UFC Fight Night: Evans vs Salmon against UFC newcomer Sean Salmon, a highly decorated collegiate wrestler who held a 9–1 professional record. Though Salmon had won the first round by scoring two takedowns, Evans came back with a head kick knockout early in the second round. Salmon remained motionless for several minutes after the fight and was eventually carried out on a stretcher to a local hospital. The kick came to the surprise of many fans who had previously considered Evans a one-dimensional wrestler.^[17]

At UFC 73, Evans squared off against former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Tito Ortiz. The two competitors fought to a draw as all three judges scored the bout 28–28. Ortiz had won two out of three rounds on all scorecards, but was deducted a point for holding the cage fence to defend against a takedown by Evans.^[18] Immediately after the fight, Ortiz asked for a rematch. At a press conference following UFC 73, UFC President Dana White promised a rematch, which for various reasons due to with scheduling the fight, didn't occur until 4 years later at UFC 133. Unable to get a rematch with Ortiz due to scheduling issues, Evans made his debut as a headliner on a pay-per-view event at UFC 78 instead, against fellow undefeated fighter and The Ultimate Fighter 3 winner Michael Bisping. After three close rounds, Evans came out on top on two of the judges' scorecards, winning by split decision. This fight marked Bisping's first loss and his final bout in the light heavyweight division. After his win over Bisping, Evans drastically changed his fighting style, which he kept secret until his fight against UFC Legend Chuck Liddell.

Evans vs. Liddell[link]

Entering the fight as a very heavy underdog, Evans shocked the world by knocking out former light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell in brutal fashion at UFC 88. Liddell threw an uppercut that Evans countered with an overhand right, landing flush. Liddell remained unconscious for several minutes before finally walking out of the cage under his own power. The knockout was awarded knockout of the year by Sherdog for 2008. Evans had previously been scheduled to face Liddell at UFC 85 as a replacement for the injured Mauricio Rua. When Liddell pulled out of the event due to an injured hamstring,^[19] Evans was matched with James Irvin. When Irvin pulled out after breaking his foot, the fight was removed from the card altogether.^[20] After the fight, UFC President Dana White confirmed in the post-event press conference that Evans's next fight would be a title shot against newly crowned light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin at UFC 92.^[21]

Winning the Light Heavyweight Championship[link]

On December 27, 2008 at UFC 92, Evans faced champion Forrest Griffin for the UFC light heavyweight belt.^[22] Griffin controlled most of the first two rounds with effective striking and low kicks. In the third round, however, Evans caught a low kick and countered with a straight right hand that dropped Griffin. Evans followed Griffin to the ground and eventually managed to finish the stunned champion with punches inside Griffin's guard. With the victory, Evans became the new UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion. It capped off a year in which Evans won Fighter of the Year honors from Sherdog.com.

Losing the title[link]

Evans' first defense of the UFC Light-Heavyweight title against challenger Lyoto Machida ended in a knockout. During a flurry of punches from Machida, Evans started trash talking Machida telling him 'his hands were made of pillows'. Machida continued his onslaught, knocking the champion out. This was the first loss of his career and the 15th straight win of Lyoto Machida's career.^[23][24] Then, Evans went on to coach against Rampage Jackson in The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights. Evans was scheduled to fight Jackson on December 12, 2009, at UFC 107, but this was canceled due to Jackson being cast for the A-Team movie.^[25] On September 22, 2009, Jackson wrote in a blog on his website that he is "done fighting" because of events that occurred between Jackson and Dana White, the president of the UFC. Thiago Silva was named as Evans' next opponent at UFC 108.

Back into title contention[link]

Evans fought Thiago Silva in the main event of UFC 108 on January 2, 2010.^[26] Dana White was quoted as saying that if Evans could defeat Thiago Silva at UFC 108, then he would go on to face Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.^[27] During the Spike TV broadcast of the UFC 108 preliminary card, Evans confirmed that he received his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Rolles Gracie that morning.^[28][29] Evans would go on to defeat Thiago Silva – another BJJ black belt – by unanimous decision. Deviating from his usual standing and striking, Evans displayed his grappling skills with numerous takedowns that frustrated Silva throughout the match, but Evans failed to damage Silva substantially while on the ground.^[30] In the third round, after severely mocking his opponent's fighting style with various taunts, Silva connected with a right hook to Evans' jaw, rocking him. Silva hesitated in finishing Evans off in order to return the taunting, however, and Evans was able to recover leading to a UD win.^[31][32] Evans was expected to finally face rival Quinton Jackson at UFC 113,^[31] but the bout took place on May 29, 2010 at UFC 114.^[32]

Evans caught Rampage with a right hand early in the first round and throughout the rest of the fight tried to take Rampage down, succeeding three times out of nine. In the third round Evans was hurt by Rampage but recovered and ended the final round with another takedown and strikes on the ground. The judges scored the bout 30–27, 30–27, 29–28 giving Evans the unanimous decision. Afterwards UFC President Dana White then officially confirmed that Evans would square off against Maurício Rua for the UFC Light Heavyweight title,^[33] but not until mid-Spring or early-Summer of 2011 as Rua recovered from knee surgery.^[34] The fight was then booked for the main event of UFC 128 when the UFC returned to Newark, New Jersey.^[35]

Following Evans's training partner Jon Jones' victory over Ryan Bader at UFC 126, it was announced that Evans injured his knee during training. Jones was then told in his post-fight interview that the UFC wanted him to replace Evans in his fight against Mauricio Rua for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. Jones accepted and the fight was set for UFC 128.^[36] It was then expected that if Jones won, he would face Evans in his first title defense.^[37]

During a UFC 128 post-fight interview with Ariel Helwani, Evans stated that he was done training at Jackson's Martial Arts in preparation for his fight with Jon Jones.^[38] He then commenced training at Imperial Athletics in Boca Raton, Florida, at a new camp co-founded by Evans and several Brazilian fighters who had concomitantly left American Top Team due to a dispute over management services; these were later joined by some African-American fighters, and as a result the camp's members became known colloquially as the "Blackzilians," especially on twitter. Evans gave further insight to MMAWeekly about his leaving Jackson's Submission Fighting, “When you get to a certain point, you really need a lot of time (with the coaches)… make sure you get the one-on-one, and you just need different things,” he explained. “After being at Jackson’s for a while, with so many people at the gym, it just got harder and harder for me to get that time."^[39]

Evans/Jones was expected to take place on August 6, 2011 at UFC 133, but Jones was sidelined with a hand injury. Evans was expected to face rising prospect Phil Davis at the event instead.^[40][41] A title fight between Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes was delayed, so the UFC promoted Evans vs. Davis to serve as the main event. However, with less than four weeks until the event, Davis pulled out of the bout citing a knee injury. A rematch with Tito Ortiz was scheduled to headline the event.^[42] Evans defeated Ortiz at UFC 133 via TKO in the second round. The victory secured Evans a title shot against Jones.

Evans and Jones were rumoured to finally clash on December 10, 2011 at UFC 140.^[43] However, a lingering thumb injury cost Evans another title opportunity, and he was replaced by Lyoto Machida to fight Jon Jones for the belt at UFC 140.^[44] Jones retained the Light Heavyweight belt, defeating the challenger Machida, leaving open the possibility of a future fight between Evans and Jones for the title.

Evans faced Phil Davis on January 28, 2012 at UFC on Fox 2.^[45] He won the fight via unanimous decision. Evans out-wrestled the former division one national wrestling champion landing numerous takedowns throughout the fight.

In his second title shot, Evans faced UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones on April 21, 2012 at UFC 145.^[46] He lost the fight via unanimous decision.

Personal life[link]

Evans and his ex-wife (according to UFC Primetime) have one son Rashad Jr, and a daughter Nia.^[47] He also has a daughter, Tahja, from a previous relationship.^[48]

Evans' brother Lance made a brief appearance on The Ultimate Fighter: Team Nogueira vs Team Mir, but was eliminated by Vinicius Magalhaes due to a rib injury and did not join the cast. Evan's also has another half brother, Guishad Laguerre who lives in Massachusetts. The two keep in touch regularly. They also have a famous saying, "Simp" ^[49]

Evans has appeared in a Microsoft commercial, where he says the lines, "You got a problem with that!" and "I'm a PC!", while sparring with an unidentified opponent.^[50] Evans is a frequent commentator on the ESPN show MMA Live. Evans also made an appearance on Spike TV's show Deadliest Warrior. In the episode, Evans easily pierces a pig carcass with the xyston similar to one used by Alexander the Great, and crushed a gel torso's throat with an elbow.^[48]

Championships and awards[link]

Amateur wrestling[link]

• Niagara Wheatfield High School
• 4th place New York State High School Wrestling Championships 145 lbs 1997, 171 lbs 1998
• National Junior College Athletic Association
  • Junior College National Champion 165 1b – out of Niagara County Community College (2000)^[51]

Mixed martial arts[link]

• Gladiator Challenge
  • GC Light Heavyweight Tournament Winner
• Ultimate Fighting Championship
  • UFC Light Heavyweight Championship (One time)
  • The Ultimate Fighter 2 Heavyweight Tournament Winner
  • Knockout of the Night (Two times)
  • Fight of the Night (Two times)
• Sherdog
  • 2008 Fighter of the Year ^[52]
  • 2008 Knockout of the Year against Chuck Liddell ^[53]
• FIGHT! Magazine
  • 2008 Knockout of the Year against Chuck Liddell^[54]
• Sponsorships
  • MusclePharm^[55]
  • Jaco^[56]

Mixed martial arts record[link]

The UFC counts two amateur bouts in the The Dangerzone MMA promotion,^[57] as well as Evans' three victories in The Ultimate Fighter 2, resulting in a record of 22–2–1^[58] for Evans according to the UFC; however, the N.S.A.C. has instructed record keepers that all fights on The Ultimate Fighter are considered exhibition matches; therefore, Evans' official professional MMA record is currently 17–2–1.^[59]

See also[link]

• List of current UFC fighters

References[link]

63. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-btaGHkL-Y

External links[link]

• Official website
• Official UFC Profile
• Rashad Evans profile at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame
• MMATrailers.com
• Professional MMA record for Rashad Evans from Sherdog

Craig Ferguson
Performing stand-up in New York City, 2007
Born	(1962-05-17) May 17, 1962 (age 50) Glasgow, Scotland
Medium	Stand-up, television, film, music, books
Nationality	Scotland; United States
Years active	1980–present
Genres	Observational comedy, satire/political satire/news satire
Subject(s)	Everyday life, popular culture, self-deprecation, politics
Spouse	Anne Hogarth (1983–86) (divorced) Sascha Corwin (1998–2004) (divorced) 1 child Megan Wallace-Cunningham (2008–present) 1 child
Notable works and roles	Host of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson Nigel Wick on The Drew Carey Show Glaswegian in One Foot in the Grave Gobber in How to Train Your Dragon
Website	The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

Craig Ferguson (born 17 May 1962^[1]) is a Scottish-American television host, stand-up comedian, writer, actor, director, author, and producer. He is the host of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, an Emmy Award-nominated, Peabody Award-winning late-night talk show that airs on CBS. In addition to hosting that program and performing stand-up comedy, Ferguson has written two books: Between the Bridge and the River, a novel, and American on Purpose, a memoir. He became a citizen of the United States in 2008.^[2]

Before his career as a late-night television host, Ferguson was best known in the United States for his role as the office boss, Nigel Wick, on The Drew Carey Show from 1996 to 2003. He also wrote and starred in three films, directing one of them.

Early life[link]

Ferguson was born in the Stobhill Hospital in the Springburn district of Glasgow, Scotland to Robert and Janet Ferguson, and raised in nearby Cumbernauld, growing up "chubby and bullied".^[3][4] When he was six months old, he and his family moved from their Springburn apartment to a council house in Cumbernauld. They lived there as Glasgow was re-housing many people following damage to the city from World War II.^[4] Ferguson attended Muirfield Primary School and Cumbernauld High School.^[5] At age sixteen, Ferguson dropped out of Cumbernauld High School and began an apprenticeship to be an electronics technician at a local factory of American company Burroughs Corporation.^[6]

His first visit to the United States was as a teenager to visit an uncle who lived on Long Island, near New York City.^[7] When he moved to New York City in 1983, he worked in construction in Harlem.^[8][9] Ferguson later became a bouncer at a nightclub, Save the Robots.^[10]

Career[link]

British career[link]

Ferguson's experience in entertainment began as a drummer in a rock band called Exposure. He then joined a punk band called The Bastards from Hell.^[11] The band, later renamed "Dreamboys", and fronted by vocalist Peter Capaldi, performed regularly in Glasgow from 1980 to 1982.^[12] Ferguson credits Capaldi for inspiring him to try comedy.^[3]

After a nerve-wrecking, knee-knocking first appearance, he decided to create a character that was a "parody of all the über-patriotic native folk singers who seemed to infect every public performance in Scotland."^[3] The character, "Bing Hitler" (actually coined by Capaldi as Ferguson started with the monogram of "Nico Fulton" but admittedly later stole the name for his "own nefarious ends"),^[12] premiered in Glasgow, and subsequently became a hit at the 1986 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. A recording of his stage act as Bing Hitler was made at Glasgow's Tron Theatre and released in the 1980s;^[13] a Bing Hitler monologue ("A Lecture for Burns Night") appears on the compilation cassette Honey at the Core.

Ferguson's first television appearance was as Confidence on BBC sitcom Red Dwarf during the episode "Confidence and Paranoia".

Ferguson made his starring television debut in The Craig Ferguson Show, a one-off comedy pilot for Granada Television, which co-starred Paul Whitehouse and Helen Atkinson-Wood.^[14] This was broadcast throughout the UK on 4 March 1990, but was not made into a full series.

He has also found success in musical theatre. Beginning in 1991, he appeared on stage as Brad Majors in the London production of The Rocky Horror Show, alongside Anthony Head, who was playing Dr. Frank-N-Furter at the time.^{[citation needed]} In 1994, Ferguson played Father MacLean in the highly controversial production of Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom at the Union Chapel in London. The same year, he appeared again at the Edinburgh Fringe, as Oscar Madison in The Odd Couple, opposite Gerard Kelly as Felix and Kate Anthony as Gwendolin Pidgeon, who is now much better known as Aunty Pam in Coronation Street; the play, which was relocated to 1990s Glasgow, later toured Scotland.^[15]

After enjoying success at the Edinburgh Festival, Ferguson appeared on Red Dwarf, STV's Hogmanay Show,^[16] his own show 2000 Not Out, and the 1993 One Foot in the Grave Christmas special One Foot in the Algarve.

In 1993, Ferguson presented his own series on Scottish archaeology for Scottish Television entitled Dirt Detective.^[17] He travelled throughout the country examining archaeological history, including Skara Brae and Paisley Abbey.

U.S. career[link]

After cancellation of his show The Ferguson Theory, Ferguson moved to Los Angeles in 1994. His first U.S. role was as baker Logan McDonough on the short-lived 1995 ABC comedy Maybe This Time, which starred Betty White and Marie Osmond.

His breakthrough in the U.S. came when he was cast on The Drew Carey Show as the title character's boss, Mr. Wick, a role that he played from 1996 to 2003. He played the role with an over-the-top posh English accent "to make up for generations of English actors doing crap Scottish accents." In his comedy special "A Wee Bit O' Revolution", he specifically called out James Doohan's portrayal of Montgomery Scott on Star Trek as the foundation of his "revenge". (At the end of one episode, though, Ferguson broke the fourth wall and began talking to the audience at home in his regular Scottish accent.) His character was memorable for his unique methods of laying employees off, almost always "firing Johnson", the most common last name of the to-be-fired workers.^[18] Even after leaving the show in 2003, he remained a recurring character on the series for the last two seasons, and was part of the 2-part series finale in 2004.

During production of The Drew Carey Show, Ferguson devoted his off-time as a cast member to writing, working in his trailer on set in-between shooting his scenes. He wrote and starred in three films: The Big Tease, Saving Grace, and I'll Be There, which he also directed and for which he won the Audience Award for Best Film at the Aspen, Dallas and Valencia film festivals. He was named Best New Director at the Napa Valley Film Festival. These were among other scripts that, "... in the great tradition of the movie business, about half a dozen that I got paid a fortune for but never got made."^[19] His other acting credits in films include Niagara Motel, Lenny the Wonder Dog, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, Chain of Fools, Born Romantic, The Ugly Truth, How to Train Your Dragon, Kick-Ass and Winnie the Pooh.

Ferguson has been touring the United States and Canada with a stand-up comedy show, and performed at Carnegie Hall on 23 October 2010.

[edit] The Late Late Show

In December 2004, it was announced that Ferguson would be the successor to Craig Kilborn on CBS's The Late Late Show. His first show as the regular host aired on 3 January 2005. By May 2008, Ben Alba, an American television historian and an authority on U.S. talk shows, said Ferguson "has already made his mark, taking the TV monologue to new levels with an underlying story. But he is only just starting ... He is making up his own rules: It's the immigrant experience."^[18]

The Late Late Show averaged 2.0 million viewers in its 2007 season, compared with 2.5 million for Late Night with Conan O'Brien.^[20] In April 2008, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson beat Late Night with Conan O'Brien for weekly ratings (1.88 million to 1.77 million) for the first time since the two shows went head-to-head with their respective hosts.^[21]

By the end of 2009, Craig Ferguson topped Jimmy Fallon in the ratings with Ferguson getting a 1.8 rating/6 share and Fallon receiving a 1.6 rating/6 share.^[22]

Ferguson's success on the show has led at least one "television insider" to say he is the heir apparent to take over David Letterman's role as host of The Late Show.^[18]

Television and appearances[link]

Craig Ferguson has made guest appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Rachael Ray, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, The Howard Stern Show, The Daily Show, The View, Loveline, Real Time with Bill Maher, The Soup, The Talk and The Dennis Miller Show. He also co-hosted Live with Regis & Kelly with Kelly Ripa.

On 4 January 2009 Ferguson was a celebrity player on Million Dollar Password.

Ferguson in April 2008

In 2009, Ferguson made a cameo live-action appearance in the episode "We Love You, Conrad" on Family Guy. Ferguson hosted the 32nd annual People's Choice Awards on 10 January 2006.^[23] TV Guide magazine printed a "Cheers" (Cheers and Jeers section) for appearing on his own show that same evening.^{[citation needed]} From 2007 to 2010, Ferguson hosted the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular on 4 July, broadcast nationally by CBS. Ferguson was the featured entertainer at the 26 April 2008 White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington, DC.^[24]

Ferguson co-presented the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama with Brooke Shields in 2008. He has done voice work in cartoons, including being the voice of Barry's evil alter-ego in the "With Friends Like Steve's" episode of American Dad; in Freakazoid! as Roddy MacStew, Freakazoid's mentor; and on Buzz Lightyear of Star Command as the robot vampire NOS-4-A2. Most recently, he was the voice of Susan the boil on Futurama, which was a parody of Scottish singer Susan Boyle. He makes stand-up appearances in Las Vegas and New York City. He headlined in the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal and in October 2008 Ferguson taped his stand up show in Boston for a Comedy Central special entitled A Wee Bit o' Revolution, which aired on 22 March 2009.

British television comedy drama Doc Martin was based on a character from Ferguson's film Saving Grace – with Ferguson getting writing credits for 12 episodes.^[25] On 6 November 2009 Ferguson appeared as himself in a SpongeBob SquarePants special titled SpongeBob's Truth or Square.^[26] He hosted Discovery Channel's 23rd season of Shark Week in 2010. Ferguson briefly appeared in Toby Keith's "Red Solo Cup" music video released on 10 October 2011. ^[27]

Literature[link]

Ferguson's novel Between the Bridge and the River was published on 10 April 2006. Ferguson appeared at the Los Angeles Festival of Books, as well as other author literary events. "This book could scare them", Ferguson said. "The sex, the violence, the dream sequences and the iconoclasm. I think a lot of people are uncomfortable with that. I understand that. It was very uncomfortable to write some of it."^[28] Publishers Weekly called it "a tour de force of cynical humor and poignant reverie, a caustic yet ebullient picaresque that approaches the sacred by way of the profane."^{[citation needed]} His novel Between the Bridge and the River is dedicated to his son and to his grandfather, Adam. Ferguson revealed in an interview that he is writing a sequel to the book, to be titled "The Sphynx of the Mississippi".^[29] He also stated in a 2006 interview with David Letterman that he intends for the book to be the first in a trilogy.^[30]

Ferguson signed a deal with HarperCollins to publish his memoirs.^[31] The book, entitled American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot, focuses on "how and why [he] became an American" and covers his years as a punk rocker, dancer, bouncer and construction worker as well as the rise of his career in Hollywood as an actor and comic. It went on sale 22 September 2009 in the United States.^[32][33] On 1 December 2010 the audiobook version was nominated for a Best Spoken Word Album Grammy.^[34]

In July 2009, Jackie Collins was a guest on The Late Late Show to promote her new book Married Lovers. Collins said that a character in her book, Don Verona, was based on Ferguson because she was such a fan of him and his show.^[35]

Personal life[link]

As mentioned on The Late Late Show on 3 August 2009, Ferguson holds an FAA Private Pilot's License issued 31 July 2009.^[36] Ferguson announced on the 8 April 2011 broadcast that he is pursuing an instrument rating.

Ferguson is a fan of Scottish football team Partick Thistle F.C.^[12] as well as the British television show Doctor Who. He has three tattoos: his latest, the Join, or Die political cartoon on his right forearm;^[37][38] a Ferguson family crest with the Latin motto Dulcius ex asperis ("Sweeter out of [or from] difficulty") on his upper right arm in honour of his father;^[39] and the Ingram family crest on his upper left arm in honour of his mother. He has often stated that his Join, or Die tattoo is to signal his patriotism.^[37]

Family[link]

In an episode of The Late Late Show that aired 8 December 2008, a somber Ferguson talked about his mother, Janet (3 August 1933 – 1 December 2008). He ended the program by playing her favourite song, "Rivers of Babylon" by Boney M.^[40]

Ferguson has two sisters (one older and one younger) and one older brother.^[41] His elder sister's name is Janice and his brother's name is Scott. His younger sister, Lynn Ferguson Tweddle, is also a successful comedienne, presenter, and actress, perhaps most widely known as the voice of Mac in the 2000 stop-motion animation film Chicken Run. She is currently a writer on The Late Late Show.

Ferguson has married three times and divorced twice as a result of what he describes as "relationship issues". His first marriage was to Anne Hogarth from 1983 to 1986, during which time they lived in New York. From his second marriage (to Sascha Corwin, founder and proprietor of Los Angeles' SpySchool), he has one son, Milo Hamish Ferguson, born in 2001. He and Corwin share custody of Milo, and live near each other in Los Angeles. On 21 December 2008, Ferguson married art dealer Megan Wallace-Cunningham in a private ceremony on her family's farm in Chester, Vermont.^[42] Ferguson announced 14 July 2010 on Twitter that they were expecting a child. He wrote: "Holy crackers! Mrs F is pregnant. How did that happen? ... oh yeah I know how. Another Ferguson arrives in 2011. The world trembles."^[43] The child, a boy named Liam James, was born 31 January 2011.^[44]

Alcoholism[link]

A recovering alcoholic, Ferguson has been sober since 18 February 1992.^[45] Because of this, he declared he wouldn't mock Britney Spears' much-publicized alcohol problems in 2007.^[46] He said he had considered committing suicide on Christmas Day 1991, but when offered a drink by a friend for celebrating the holiday, he was distracted from jumping off Tower Bridge in London as he had planned.^[3]

Citizenship[link]

Holding dual citizenship, Ferguson is both a naturalized citizen of the United States and a British citizen.

During 2007, Ferguson, who at the time held only British citizenship, used The Late Late Show as a forum for seeking honorary citizenship from every state in the U.S. He has received honorary citizenship from Nebraska, Arkansas, Virginia, Montana, North Dakota, New Jersey, Tennessee, South Carolina, South Dakota, Nevada, Alaska, Texas, Wyoming, Pennsylvania and Indiana, and was "commissioned" as an admiral in the tongue-in-cheek Nebraska Navy.^[47] Governors Jon Corzine (New Jersey), John Hoeven (North Dakota), Mark Sanford (South Carolina), Mike Rounds (South Dakota), Rick Perry (Texas), Sarah Palin (Alaska) and Jim Gibbons (Nevada) sent letters to him that made him an honorary citizen of their respective states. He received similar honors from various towns and cities, including Ozark, Arkansas; Hazard, Kentucky; and Greensburg, Pennsylvania.

Ferguson became an American citizen on 1 February 2008^[2] and broadcast the taking of his citizenship test as well as his swearing in on The Late Late Show.

Filmography[link]

Bibliography[link]

• Between the Bridge and the River. Chronicle Books. 2006. ISBN 978-0-8118-5375-0. 
• American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot. HarperCollins. 2009. ISBN 978-0-06-171954-7. 

Comedy specials[link]

• A Wee Bit o' Revolution. Comedy Central. 2009.
• Does This Need to Be Said? EPIX, Comedy Central. 2011.

Discography[link]

• Live At The Tron (as Bing Hitler). Jammy Records. 1986. Catalogue number JRLP 861.

References[link]