Craig Ferguson has a prime-time date with Paris Hilton next Monday.
CBS has enlisted Mr. Ferguson and Ms. Hilton to serve as hosts for its Monday night lineup on March 2, the network confirmed. That’s the same night Mr. Ferguson’s newest late night rival, NBC’s Jimmy Fallon, makes his “Late Night” debut.
“We’re calling it ‘America’s Entertainment Stimulus Package’,” said CBS marketing chief George Schweitzer.
Mr. Ferguson and Ms. Hilton will appear during interstitial spots throughout CBS’s Monday lineup next week, trading comic riffs and hyping upcoming shows. The two will appear to be watching TV together during the segments, which will begin just before “The Big Bang Theory” and go through “CSI: Miami.”
In addition to appearing on CBS together during prime time, Ms. Hilton and Mr. Ferguson will team up later in the evening when Ms. Hilton is a guest on Mr. Ferguson’s “Late Late Show.”
CBS is going all-out to promote next Monday’s lineup.
The network has just started airing on-air spots touting the Hilton-Ferguson pairing, as well as CBS’s Monday “stimulus package.” It will also devote one of its front page New York Times strip ads to its Monday lineup.
Next Monday is important to CBS on a number of fronts.
After a couple of weeks of repeats, all of its shows will be in originals next week. In addition, the network’s “Rules of Engagement” re-joins CBS’s Monday lineup.
And finally, Mr. Ferguson will face off against the much-hyped premiere of “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.”
“It’s a night we can have fun with, and there are some tactical reasons to do this as well,” Mr. Schweitzer said.
CBS will use Mr. Ferguson to host its Monday night twice next month. On March 9, the “Late Late Show” personality will reprise his prime time hosting gig, this time teamed up with Jim Parsons of CBS’s “The Big Bang Theory.” Mr. Parsons will appear in character as Sheldon during his spots with Mr. Ferguson.
The spots with both Ms. Hilton and Mr. Parsons will be set in Mr. Ferguson’s fake TV home. He and his guests will dine on TV dinners as they watch CBS programming.
CBS and other networks have become increasingly enamored of using personalities to “host” certain nights. Kevin James, for example, recently used CBS’s Monday to tout his “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” feature.
(Editor: Baumann)
CBS Lines up Paris Hilton, Craig Ferguson Against Jimmy Fallon
Feb 23, 2009 • Post A Comment
Shame on CBS for putting Paris Hilton on air. Shame on Craig for agreeing to share the air with her.
Paris Hilton?? What a joke! Why her? Craig’s talent deserves so much better than that.
WOW! Craig and Paris…*running to the bathroom to barf*
The GREAT thing to come out of this is CBS finally advertising Craig’s show!
The LOVELY thing to come out of this is Craig showing some skin! XD
Craig, good luck with the new competition. Something tells me you’ll come out of it with more loyal viewers and smelling more delicious than canned ham. xox
Paris Hilton? Is this 2004?
I totally fell for Craig’s show during the Election.. his commentary was spot on and sometimes (ok most times) better than any of the ‘real news’ commentators. I dvred and have saved his monologue from one of the early night’s of the Bailout (“BerNANKE? More like BerCRANKY”.. I don’t know why, it just made me bust out laughing)…..
But I don’t know, this doesn’t reek for me as much as many of these types of promotions do.. and I think now Paris is sort of a kitsch figure. Still, I’ll probably be tuning into Jimmy Fallon even though the couple things I’ve seen of him online have been terrible.. but then in the week after Letterman left Late Night, they ran a week of his early shows in order to remind everyone that he initially wasn’t as great as got to be. And frankly, it took me years to warm up to Conan (I still prefer Craig but I can enjoy Conan now whereas he used to grate).
And yes, for cryin out loud, at least they’re promoting Craig’s show so I don’t care if they pair him with a baboon (ok patayto patahto)
I’m LOVING this!!! CBS is FINALLY utilizing one of their GREATEST assets: CRAIG FERGUSON.It should be a GREAT segment to promote their lineup & though I’m not too thrilled by the choice of Paris Hilton (What is her draw?) I’d watch it if he was on with just his beloved puppets or even alone!!
KUDOS to CBS for FINALLY getting busy with Craig. He has sooo many fans that will watch simply because it is HIM doing the spots. Brilliant move, CBS!!H*** I’m going to watch CBS the entire night JUST to see him- & will miss shows I’d normally watch on other networks. Most of his fans at our site share my enthusiasm. Should get a record draw out of this!
err. Is that Mr. Ferguson’s “fake tv home” in the photos?
I’m kind of disappointed if it is.
Kind of dumpy.
Ferguson is far better than Fallon!! If CBS would quit running scared and do a FAR FAR better job of promoting ferguson’s show they might actually see some results. Why would CBS set out to ruin Ferguson’s popularity ? Forcing Ferguson together with that Hilton IDIOT is enough to kill anyone’s interest.
I love Craig and watch his show every night, but why do you need to do this on this coming MONDAY!!??? Come on, the SAME night that THE BACHELOR chooses “THE ONE”!!?? AND Deanna comes back!! I know that I am talking about ABC here, but just one night only!! I love CBS and watch many of their shows, but why are you doing this to me on this praticular Monday of ALL Mondays!!?
What am I to do?? I love Craig!!?? OK, I just might have to DVR The Bachelor!!! Gees!!
Not a problem! I’ll tape a photo of myself on the left side of the screen and pretend I’m watching tv with Craig. I’ll even wear fuzzy slippers!
Okay, i love craig. I think he’s absolutely brilliant. So why on earth would CBS put him with Paris? She might be a guest that night, but I can’t imagine anything she would say during those spots to be the least bit amusing. Oh wait, unless there’s a script. No, not even then. I swear that girl has a split personality: Raging idiot and so shy she has almost no personality. She barely talked in Craig’s last interview with her and it seemed like he was trying hard to make her look interesting to save the interview. *sigh*
I’m watching, but only for Craig. At least he’ll get the exposure, even if it’s with a fake bimbo. CBS is finally realizing how much Craig is loved I guess. I wonder how long it will take them to figure out how much Paris ISN’T loved?
Oh and commenting on what Intern Jack wrote:
Not that I really care about this aspect, but yes, it DOES look dumpy haha. it actually looks like the CBS storage closet or something hahaha. nice.
It’s about time CBS started advertising The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Simply saying “and then catch Craig” after a Letterman commerical is just wrong. Ferguson is only second to Letterman is class and entertainment. Craig is completely unique and that what sets him apart from the rest. I think having Hilton is the ads is just a spoof and simply trying to imagine the most oddest couple watching TV together. Parsons will be the same. Let’s just sit back and enjoy the show. It just might be funny!
It is about time CBS started promoting Craig Ferguson. Now with the late night competition heating up they will finally realize the talent they have in him. Why did it take so long? Paris is an idiot and he surely deserves more. I will watch him and enjoy inspite of her. He has many loyal fans inspite of the fact that CBS and Letterman have not fairly promoted him for 4 years! He is talented with sex appeal as well!!
There are two shows on monday what one is paris gong to be on? the 3o’clock or 5?
It has always been strange that Dave Letterman doesn’t always close his show promoting “Craig Ferguson is next!” as he has done just recently. Since Dave is Craig’s boss, you would expect more than that. Even the commercials promoting Dave, just squeeze Craig into “…and then watch Craig.”
You must be joking…Craig is so much funnier than Dave or Conan. He’s a natural, off-the-cuff, personable comedian with a soft streak. There is nothing soft or personable about any other late night comedian, except, maybe Jay Leno who they unceremoniously booted off with apparently no thought at all. So CBS, AND DAVE,learn from NBC’s mistakes!! Promote Craig more! He didn’t even need Paris Hilton in the spots with him, by the way.
KISS THIS(r)
with Tina O
Tina O rates CBS Late Late Show w/ Craig Ferguson
5 Kisses out of 5
The Dow is tumbling, GM stock is 1.45, unemployment is 8% and rising but Craig Ferguson reassures Americans that comedy is alive and well and doesn’t need to go to emergency after having to sit with Paris Hilton but close call’s such as these leads me t believe that being a talk show host is a much more dangerous job than I thought. Jeez when your guest’s are being carelessly booked by executives at CBS, and as they put their best asset on TV at risk by bombing him with Hollywood poison yet he survived. Thank God. What a Champion! David Lettermen should mention Craig Feerguson but then that might be asking to much from the Gods.
Kisses Tina O
ut then you have Tina O and I love talking about Craig so can you have him call me after you read this
Kisses
Tina O
I have never sent any e-mail to a TV personality before, but I feel that I have to comment on Mr. Fergusson. He is absolutely A-ONE terrific. Why is he on so late? I am so exhausted from waiting up to see his performance. He is the first natural host to come along in ages and I just love listening to him. Get him on earlier or give him more opportunities to be seen by more people at an earlier time.