I think social media does that to a lot of people.

Do you still feel that way?Ī: Not anymore. Q: Apropos of nothing (maybe your rambling manner is rubbing off on me), you confess that 'other people's fame sometimes makes me feel like I have failed.” That's a painful admission, one I can't imagine a Johnny Carson would dare. That may be where I picked up my rambling manner. The conversation in pubs I thought I'd miss was more than compensated for by the talk at meetings. Q: Shut the door yourself! That's quite an achievement.Ī: Y'know, quitting was instrumental in my writing. Are there moments when you really miss the sauce?Ī: No. Q: But you really were quite the accomplished drinker in your day, weren't you? At one point, you mention that one of your acquaintances said you were the 'alkiest alky” she'd ever met. Q: What do you mean? Being put on the spot was your specialty! Still, with due respect, there must be many expressions in Scottish for being hung over. At one point you describe a hangover as your head feeling 'like a brown dog.” A Scottish expression, I take it? I especially admire your choice of idioms. Q: I frankly didn't expect you to be such a craftsman. If you're doing free-form improvisation you don't always have time to choose the right word, whereas, it's careful and considered. Q: You also describe yourself as having 'cheeky impudence.” The wonderful thing about having you in book form is it gives us more time to appreciate your language.Ī: Well, that's right. Q: Kind of devilish but also kind of vulnerable.Ī: That's me: devilish and vulnerable at the same time.

Can you describe the smile?Ī: Miracle of American dentistry! Especially given that I grew up in Scotland in the ‘70s.

Q: One of the many pleasant surprises in 'Riding the Elephant” is how well your raunchy charm translates to book form, even without that smile of yours. They can't fire you for writing a book, can they? They can burn it, but that's not the same thing. Is writing a book as risky?Ī: Not nearly. Politics have become so frightful in the U.S., I'm even annoyed with the people I agree with. I don't know if my show would work if I tried it today. Add your contacts.Ī: Especially so in the last four years since I've been out of the game. You will begin to receive our weekly Hoopla Events updates.

Riding the elephant by craig ferguson