TVSquad

Just got back from a teeny tiny conference room off the main ballroom here at the Langham. CBS decided that they'd have an "informal press conference" with Craig Ferguson in this itty bitty space, even though a fair number of the critics wanted to hear the funny and thoughtful late night host speak. The SRO crowd wasn't disappointed.

The most newsworthy bit that came out of the proceedings? The fact that the Late Late Show host is "mystified" at the fact that NBC is putting Leno at 10:00. Asked if a show like his could play at that hour, he said, "I don't think people are ready for cussing puppets at 10:00."

More funny quotes from Ferguson's press conference are after the jump.

Here are the best Ferguson quotes, straight from TV Squad's Twitter feed (and the feeds of a few others):

• He started the press conference by saying: "My wife is standing by me during this difficult time. Buenos Aires is lovely this time of year"
• "I lie at his feet. I'm kinda his bitch." - Ferguson on his relationship with Letterman.
• "Letterman... no matter what the numbers have been is the king of late night television. I'm telling you that's true."
• His favorite guest? Betty White. Least favorite? "An actor whose name I won't say. So fuck 'em."
• "Being on television every night has definitely made me crazier than when I started."
  
• About flying under the radar in the late night wars: "I don't want to go to the party, but I want to be asked. The format is tired & old."
• About the silliness of 18-49 ratings: "I'm 47, so in two years I'm fucked? Fuck you!"
• "I don't watch the other late night shows, because I have a child and a TiVo. I watch Duck Dodgers and Mythbusters."
• "Do I want to make a lot of money? Fuck yeah." But he doesn't want it to rule him. "I've met a lot of rich people who are douchebags."
• "Jay was the leader in all numbers - then he got fired. I don't want to get fired. So maybe keeping your head down (is the way to go)." (thanks @Zap2ItRick... I missed that one)
• On his ambitions "I don't want to be rich enough where all I'm worrying about is keeping my job."
• "Johnny Carson is the Tiger Woods of what I do."
• On interviewing a talkative James Spader: "I did drift a bit when James Spader was talking. But he went on fifteen fucking minutes."
• Speaking as a proud new citizen: "America is not just a donkey and an elephant. It's a flag and an idea."
• "I think my show's closer to Pee-Wee's Playhouse than any other (late night) show I've seen"
• "This is why I don't Twitter. I've got a fucking hour to say things every night" - Ferguson on metaphysical monologues like "Why Everything Sucks."
• Ferguson on his new book, American on Purpose, out in September: "It's an autobiography. I'm looking forward to reading it."

In the post reporter scrum, he was OK with going to HD, but doesn't think it'll change his show "I don't think we have the budget" to take advantage of the new picture. When I asked him if he wanted to eventually get a band, he felt that the only way it would fit in his show "is if the band were crap."