Craig Ferguson, a man responsible for entertaining insomniacs everywhere since he began hosting “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson,” is coming to Cal Poly.
The Scottish comedian and actor will put on a comedy show at the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center (PAC) on April 24.
Also known for his roles in the sitcom “The Drew Carey Show” and the animated film “How to Train Your Dragon,” Ferguson has hosted his Emmy-nominated late night show since 2005.
Director of Cal Poly Arts Steve Lerian said Ferguson previously visited and saw success at the PAC.
“He was at the PAC two-and-a-half years ago, presented by the local rotary club,” Lerian said. “The response was just great, people were very happy with his performance.”
According to the PAC’s website, Ferguson’s 2009 performance sold out.
Based off this success, Lerian said Ferguson’s agent called him to see if Cal Poly was interested in being added to the list of venues Ferguson would appear at during his 2012 stand-up tour. He is also stopping in cities as varied as Napa, Calif., and New York City.
“He’s got a real fun and crazy sense of humor, and he has a really big following on television,” Lerian said.
Ferguson Tweets regularly and has had appreciation blogs pop up on the Internet. However, fans of his late-night comedy should not expect Ferguson’s material to be as clean-cut as on CBS.
“People are expecting he’s going to be to just like TV,” Lerian said. “In his live performance, he’s more topical, and there’s definitely more — um — adult language.”
The event has been labeled with a warning on the PAC’s website that states “Please note that this performance contains adult language and themes and is not appropriate for those under 17 years old.”
Cal Poly students will be eligible to purchase half-price student passes, Lerian said. These tickets will cost between $15.50 and $32, including the PAC’s facility fee.
For cash-strapped students, these discounted tickets might offer an affordable way to see Ferguson in person.
“I’ve seen a few of his stand-ups and thought he was pretty funny. I would go if I had the money,” electrical engineering junior Jason Descenzo said, before information about the reduced price tickets was released.
Ferguson comes from unlikely roots. Originally a member of a Scottish punk band, Ferguson moved to bartending before making the jump to acting in his native Scotland, according his biography on the CBS website.
Though he has been a United States citizen since 2008, his native accent is one of the signatures of his offbeat comedy.
“I don’t know too much about him, but he probably has a rich background in improv, being from Scotland and all,” mechanical engineer senior Scott Solomon said. “They appreciate the arts there. Being a Scot, I might be a little bit biased though.”
Ferguson will perform on April 24 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the PAC office or at pacslo.org. An ID is required to be eligible for student tickets.