Longtime late-night host Craig Ferguson is using the country’s 250th birthday to question what it means to be an American.
The former host of CBS’ Late Late Show has a new CNN series, American On Purpose, in which the Scottish-American comedian travels the country in a uniquely patriotic quest.
“One of the greatest things about being American is the fact that what that actually means is and always has been up for discussion,” Ferguson said of his new show. “My idea of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness isn’t necessarily yours.”
“Being American is like stretchy knitwear—it looks different on everybody—and I am fascinated by the endless variety of my compatriots," he added.
In the trailer for the new series, a follow-up to his 2009 memoir of the same name, the late-night veteran explores expressions of American patriotism that are frequently at odds with one another.
He both drives expensive vintage cars with fellow late-night host Jay Leno and then smashes others with large monster trucks. He speaks to some of the country’s wealthiest citizens and then tries to build wealth starting with just a penny.
“I love this place. I want to show you why I became American on purpose,” Ferguson says in the trailer.
In February 2008, the Scottish native became a naturalized U.S. citizen after 14 years of living stateside. He even aired footage from his citizenship test on The Late Late Show.
“I took the citizenship test, and it’s very difficult, by the way,” he told his audience. “All you people born here, if you had to take that test, Canada would be building a fence right now.”
Two months after becoming a citizen, Ferguson headlined President George W. Bush’s final White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.
“The reason you are stuck with me tonight is, look, word has got out amongst the American-born comedians that you’re a bit of a tough crowd,” Ferguson joked to open his monologue. “This is just another case of immigrants taking jobs that Americans don’t want.”
Two years after Ferguson vacated the CBS talk show, Trump became president for the first time. Ferguson claimed his Scottish heritage gave him a unique understanding of modern American politics.
“I was thinking about Trump because I thought it might come up in my discussions with you. You know his mother was Scottish?” the former CBS host asked Stephen Colbert in a 2019 interview.
“That’s the f---ing problem right there!” Ferguson exclaimed. ”I think what you’re looking at is a man who had a Scottish mother and not enough therapy.”
American On Purpose will air on CNN Saturdays, premiering on May 30.
