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- [00:00]
Lisa Ammerman
This is an iHeart podcast.
- [00:05]
Craig Ferguson
It'S black Business Month and Money and wealth podcast with John Hope Bryant is tapping in. I'm breaking down how to build wealth, create opportunities and move from surviving to thriving. It's time to talk about ownership, equity and everything in between. Black and brown communities have historically been last in line. Let me just say this AI is moving faster than civil rights legislation ever did.
- [00:26]
Lisa Ammerman
Listen to money and wealth from the Black Effect podcast network on iHeartRadio app.
- [00:31]
Craig Ferguson
Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast.
- [00:35]
Lisa Ammerman
Hey guys, it's Janae, AKA Cheekies from Cheekies and Chill Podcast. And I'm bringing you an all new mini podcast series called Sincerely Janae. Sure, I'm a singer, author, businesswoman and podcaster, but at the end of the day, I am human. And that's why I'm sharing my ups and downs with you in real time and on the go. Listen to Cheekies and chill on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [01:04]
Craig Ferguson
It's Black Business Month and black tech green money is tapping in. I'm Will Lucas, spotlighting black founders, investors and innovators building the future one idea at a time. Let's talk legacy tech and generational wealth.
- [01:16]
Lisa Ammerman
I had the skill and I had the talent. I didn't have the opportunity. Yeah, we all know, right? Genius is evenly distributed. Opportunity is not to hear this and.
- [01:27]
Craig Ferguson
More on the power of black innovation and ownership, listen to black Tech green money from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. When your car is making a strange noise, no matter what it is, you can't just pretend it's not happening.
- [01:45]
Lisa Ammerman
That's an interesting sound.
- [01:46]
Craig Ferguson
It's like your mental health. If you're struggling and feeling overwhelmed, it's important to do something about it. It can be as simple as talking to someone or just taking a deep calming breath to ground yourself. Because once you start to address the problem, you can go so much further. The Huntsman Mental Health Institute and the Ad Council available for you@loveyourmindtoday.org this is me, Craig Ferguson. I'm inviting you to come and see my brand new comedy hour. Well, it's actually, it's about an hour and a half and I don't have an opener because these guys cost money. But what I'm saying is I'll be on stage for a while anyway. Come and see me live on the Pants on Fire tour in your region. Tickets are on sale now. And we'll be adding more as the tour continues throughout the 2025 and beyond. For a full list of dates, go to thecraigfergusonshow.com See you on the road, my dears. My name is Craig Ferguson. The name of this podcast is Joy. I talk to interesting people about what brings them happiness. You probably don't know my guest today, but I do, because Lisa Ammerman, who's my guest today, was one of the producers of the old late night show I used to do on CBS Television. And today we shall spill as much tea as legally advisable about our time then. She's a great, lovely, fun person, as you're about to find out. Lisa Amerman. Enjoy. So the last time we did this, you were going to say, I said to you, funny old day, isn't it? Something like that.
- [03:28]
Lisa Ammerman
You did, you did. It seared in my brain because you were.
- [03:33]
Craig Ferguson
What was the situation? Was it Sean William Scott Stifler, Stiff Stifler, that's right. And you were the segment producer that was producing him as a guest. And what, he got held up or something? He got stuck. What happened?
- [03:50]
Lisa Ammerman
Correct. He was. Well, on Thursdays, we always did two shows. And so he was the second show for Friday. He was gonna be the lead guest. And he was coming in from Malibu and he was delayed in traffic because anyone who lives in Los Angeles knows to get from Malibu to like, you know, West Hollywood is like three hours. Exactly.
- [04:13]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah. It's a night.
- [04:14]
Lisa Ammerman
He didn't leave himself enough time. Poor guy. Or I should say poor me.
- [04:18]
Craig Ferguson
So. Well, yeah. Cause I remember them saying to me, sam Williams coast no, made it. And I was like, well, who did the thing? And they said, it was Lisa. I was like, all right, Lisa, you were your guest. You have to be on the show. And I, when I look back at it, though, I thought, did I put you on the spot? Was that cruel or did a little bit. Was it cruel? I'm so sorry.
- [04:36]
Lisa Ammerman
It wasn't cruel. It was actually. I mean, was I on the spot? Yes, but it wasn't cruel. It was funny. I mean, I have a good sense of humor, obviously you do. And.
- [04:43]
Craig Ferguson
And I also figured it would be fun. I mean, like, we'd have a good time. And also if you hated it, because I don't know if people knew this about, or know this about late night shows, but none of them, none of them are live. And so if you hated it and said, look, I didn't like that, then I could have just said, I'll Kick it out and I'll do an extra tweet and email segment then.
- [05:06]
Lisa Ammerman
But my recollection is you liked it so much you put me out there several more times. I was a cold open a few more times, so I don't know about that.
- [05:15]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, I did like it because I thought. And I like it even now because, look, it's 10 years since we did that show.
- [05:22]
Lisa Ammerman
Yeah.
- [05:22]
Craig Ferguson
We haven't. And we. We still talk to each other.
- [05:26]
Lisa Ammerman
Yeah.
- [05:27]
Craig Ferguson
We just had coffee and. And you. We have a decent relationship. So obviously it wasn't that bad.
- [05:34]
Lisa Ammerman
It was not that bad. It was actually fun. And it's sort of the gift that keeps on giving. I have random people literally, like, text it to me and be like, oh, my God. Yeah. So.
- [05:46]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, well, I thought you did great. That my recollection of it is you did great. So listen, you won for our late night show. When you were one of the producers in that late show, you won for that show a Peabody Award. I don't know how many people know that about you. The Peabody Award that we got for that was all you, really, wasn't it?
- [06:06]
Lisa Ammerman
That is very kind of you to say, but I was behind the scenes. You were the one out there in front of the camera. I got Desmond Tutu to the studio with a nice letter, but that was a team effort for sure.
- [06:20]
Craig Ferguson
Well, look, the way I remember it is this. Once Desmond Tutu was in the studio, all I had to do was just sit there and let him be Desmond Tutu and I'd collect the kudos. I mean, he was amazing. It kind of been easy getting him there, though, right?
- [06:34]
Lisa Ammerman
It took, I think the process started. It was eight months of like, sort of, you know, behind the scenes trying to get him there. Michael Natus, who was our showrunner, he saw that that Tutu was going to be in Palm Springs at an event. And so he was like. He came into my office and he said, see if you can get him. He's never done late night. And so we sort of strategized and I wrote a letter. Basically the gist of it was, you've never done late night. And this is a great way to sort of educate people who may not recall, because at that point, it had been decades, you know, since. Since he had sort of, you know, made himself a global name. And they said yes. And so we did a whole sort of takeover of the show where we did three segments with him. We asked him who his musical guest, if he had his pick. And I think he said George Clinton. If I remember right. Because it was George Clinton, right?
- [07:32]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, I think we got George Clinton.
- [07:34]
Lisa Ammerman
Yeah, we did. And he was so lovely. And then the only thing that they asked was because time was sort of really crunched for him, they asked us to arrange for a helicopter from CBS TV City to go out to bring him to Palm Springs because otherwise he wouldn't be able to do it. So we were like, whatever we need to do. Of course. And so after we had taped, I'm, like, walking out to the helipad on top of the building, and one of our interns is in the helicopter. And she and I like, lock eyes. And I mean, like, wordlessly. She just, you know, she was, like, talking to the pilot. It was very funny. He didn't. He didn't seem to notice, but it was like, get out of there.
- [08:16]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, get out of the helicopter. What was she gonna. You better not tell me who it was. But was she gonna hitch a ride?
- [08:22]
Lisa Ammerman
I don't know. I think she was just fascinated that there was, like, a helicopter on the roof, you know, and so she was just, like, asking questions. But. Yeah.
- [08:29]
Craig Ferguson
Were you working at the show when I was taking the helicopter every day?
- [08:33]
Lisa Ammerman
Oh, my God. No, I don't think so.
- [08:35]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, that, like, it was right at the beginning. How many years in did you join the show? It wasn't that far in, was it?
- [08:42]
Lisa Ammerman
It was this. It was. I. I actually. I had. I don't know if you remember this, but the writers strike that happened in 2007 when you guys were dark. I was. I started interviewing. I met Michael and Peter, producers. And then you and I met at the Grove because we couldn't. You couldn't get out.
- [09:01]
Craig Ferguson
I do remember. Yeah.
- [09:02]
Lisa Ammerman
And so.
- [09:03]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah. Because I wasn't allowed to go under law, Right? That's right.
- [09:06]
Lisa Ammerman
So I started in January of 2008.
- [09:10]
Craig Ferguson
That's funny, because I think it was before the writer strike. I was doing a residency in Las Vegas, right. I was. Or I was doing a week in Las Vegas, and the helipad was right outside my office. And I used to do the show. I would do the show and we would finish at 6:00'. Clock. Then I would go up to the helipad. I would go to my office, get my jacket, go into the helicopter that was waiting on the helipad, go to Van Nuys airport, and then they'd fly me up to Las Vegas. I don't think that kind of stuff goes on that much anymore. These were different times.
- [09:48]
Lisa Ammerman
I don't think so. I mean, all talk Shows are now.
- [09:51]
Craig Ferguson
On YouTube, also talk shows now. I think the, like, Late night Stephen's going away now. I mean, that's going away. And I think, you know, I think the whole. The whole thing is probably gonna fold up. And don't you think. Do you think they're kind of. They're big shows to keep going?
- [10:10]
Lisa Ammerman
They are. I mean, it makes me sad. I feel like it was just such a fun sort of. You know, I loved the pace of it. I loved the, you know, sort of the content. I mean, everything was, like, so sort of very current and fun and funny. Um, you know, I. Again, I sort of feel like what goes around comes around. You know, like podcasts. Everyone was just talking and there was no video. And now, literally Late Night is all podcasts. I mean, I feel like these are very similar conversations a lot of times.
- [10:40]
Craig Ferguson
I think that. I think that's right. I think that the itch that people. If anyone needs to scratch a late night edge, they can. And I don't know that I'm one of them. But if anyone does, then you can do a podcast. I mean, it seems to me like everyone who. I mean, Stephen Colbert will end up doing a podcast, I'm sure, when he's done. And Conan does one. I do this one for now.
- [11:04]
Lisa Ammerman
But.
- [11:04]
Craig Ferguson
I'm always the big quitter. Leno Leno doesn't do one, though. He just. But he's got his cars.
- [11:09]
Lisa Ammerman
He's got his car show, right? I don't know if he. Does he still do that?
- [11:12]
Craig Ferguson
I'm not even sure. No, the car show. The car show he doesn't do anymore, but he has. But he has the actual cars. Have you ever been there?
- [11:20]
Lisa Ammerman
No.
- [11:21]
Craig Ferguson
Oh, my God. It's the greatest place in there.
- [11:23]
Lisa Ammerman
Yeah.
- [11:24]
Craig Ferguson
Oh, my God. It's amazing. You're not into cars, though? Not that I recall. I don't think you were ever into cars, are you? A little bit.
- [11:33]
Lisa Ammerman
Not really. Although I have to say, I just was driving up my street and somebody has, like, a really cool old GTO that's, like, been completely refurbished, and my dad used to have a GTO when. When I was. When I was little. And he brought it. He actually shipped it when he was in the army to Germany so he could drive it on the Autobahn, which was.
- [11:55]
Craig Ferguson
Oh, my God, that's great.
- [11:57]
Lisa Ammerman
Yeah, I mean, that's great.
- [11:59]
Craig Ferguson
Did you go in. Did you drive your dad's car in the autobahn in Germany?
- [12:02]
Lisa Ammerman
I mean, I was a child. It was like the early 70s. Now I'm dating myself but. Yeah, I mean, but you. You know, Astrid, this is sad. I had this, like, plastic baby that I took everywhere. And my parent, I was in the back of the GTO. He's, like, flying down like a fuck. 120 miles on the Autobot as somebody's passing him on the left. And I opened the window and out goes the baby. My parents were like, I told you. I was like, three. And so my dad, like, screeches over to the, like, you know, emergency lane as people are literally, like. I mean, hundreds of miles.
- [12:35]
Craig Ferguson
I mean, they. It's really a thing.
- [12:37]
Lisa Ammerman
They're, like, combing through the fields, like, trying to find. You know, the baby was, like, in smithereens. Yeah.
- [12:43]
Craig Ferguson
Oh, really?
- [12:43]
Lisa Ammerman
Did.
- [12:43]
Craig Ferguson
The baby was. The baby didn't make it.
- [12:45]
Lisa Ammerman
The baby did not make it.
- [12:47]
Craig Ferguson
Do you remember this?
- [12:49]
Lisa Ammerman
I. You know, like, you have, like. Everyone says, what's your first memory? I have. I don't know if I remember it very clearly or if I've heard the story so many times. I can picture it because I can picture, like, what I looked like at that age. Like, the car, me in the backseat, my mom and dad, like. So I don't know. I'm not totally sure if I trust my own memory.
- [13:08]
Craig Ferguson
I didn't know about you in Germany. How long were you in Germany?
- [13:12]
Lisa Ammerman
We were there. I think it was just a hair under two years.
- [13:16]
Craig Ferguson
Was your dad in the military?
- [13:18]
Lisa Ammerman
He was a psychiatrist of the army.
- [13:21]
Craig Ferguson
Oh, shut the fuck up.
- [13:23]
Lisa Ammerman
He had the option to come to Vietnam or to Germany, and my mother's first language was German, so that was actually really easy. But, you know, sort of. You'll appreciate this, because I know you and I share some sense of humor here. Where we didn't live on the base, we lived, like, sort of off the base. It was like this tiny town, and on the street, there was a sign that basically warned cars that there was cow shit. So you had to be careful. Your car would. Yeah.
- [13:58]
Craig Ferguson
Drive through cow shit.
- [13:59]
Lisa Ammerman
Yeah. Yeah.
- [14:00]
Craig Ferguson
I signed off Kaush and I.
- [14:02]
Lisa Ammerman
How did you guys not take that back to the United States with you, like, that side? I would have taken it everywhere with me. Yeah, but.
- [14:08]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, but here's the thing. If you. You break the law in Germany, especially. No, I think probably anytime, but especially then it probably would be that great. Germans like things to be, you know, just so.
- [14:22]
Lisa Ammerman
Yeah. Yeah, maybe that's.
- [14:26]
Craig Ferguson
But you know what? Maybe that's a racial stereotype. I don't know. I don't know if that's true.
- [14:31]
Lisa Ammerman
You know what? I will. My Parents had always sort of said every time that GTO broke down and they would drive everywhere, like, all over the place, the French would just drive right by him. The Germans always stopped. And I said, well, how many times did this car break down the two years you were in Germany? Like, maybe it wasn't the safest car. Guys. No answer.
- [14:52]
Craig Ferguson
You know, a car like that. But then again, in the 1970s, that GTO probably isn't that old at that point. Right. It's probably like a few years old, if that.
- [15:01]
Lisa Ammerman
Yeah.
- [15:01]
Craig Ferguson
We shouldn't be breaking down.
- [15:02]
Lisa Ammerman
No, I mean, exactly. He drove it hard.
- [15:06]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah. I mean, my God, the idea of a GTO in Germany in the 1970s, man, that's living your life.
- [15:13]
Lisa Ammerman
Right?
- [15:15]
Craig Ferguson
And the fact that he was. I don't know why I didn't know that your father was a psychiatrist.
- [15:20]
Lisa Ammerman
Makes sense now.
- [15:21]
Craig Ferguson
It explains a little bit about you. You've got a very psychiatrist vibe, actually, if you don't mind me saying so.
- [15:26]
Lisa Ammerman
I'm gonna take that as a compliment, because I feel like they help me.
- [15:29]
Craig Ferguson
It's a compliment.
- [15:29]
Lisa Ammerman
Yes.
- [15:30]
Craig Ferguson
No, it is a compliment because I think that, you know, the job that you had when we were working in late night was extremely political. I mean, you were like. You were working with me, and you were also working with, you know, the power of the network and all of these people. That's. That's like a. That's a tricky dance. Because I don't know how. I mean, I don't think I was ever aggressive with the network, but I didn't care for them much, and I don't think they cared for me much either. I liked Alex. Alex was a great executive. But the rest of them, well, you.
- [16:04]
Lisa Ammerman
Know, she and I grew up together. We were friends since we were 12.
- [16:08]
Craig Ferguson
I did not know. I knew you were friendly. I had no idea that you were such close friends. We should say Alex's second name now, because we're talking publicly, and we should give her credit.
- [16:20]
Lisa Ammerman
Alex Jaffe, actually. And she will love this when she finally hears this. And I said this actually before. I actually credit her with a big, big portion of my career because she, too. Yeah, right. Because when I was deciding what I wanted to do with my life, sort of a few years out of college, I wasn't sort of happy with what I was doing. She was like, you've always liked pop culture. Why don't you do something in tv? And so I was like, you know what? You're right. And so I sort of made my way into. I worked like PBS type stuff. Initially more journalism. And then when I moved out to Los Angeles, I. When my daughter was little, I was just sort of doing my casting for Amazing Race and Survivor, which was really fun. It was like journalism 101. And then.
- [17:02]
Craig Ferguson
Right.
- [17:03]
Lisa Ammerman
She ran into Michael Natus in the parking lot at cbs. They were colleagues and he was like, we're really looking for a, you know, segment producer. And she was like, I have a friend who's never done this, but she has like a very, like, odd sort of memory for a lot of random pop culture stuff. You should talk to her. And so. And then like a year after that, she then became the executive assigned to the show. And initially we didn't tell anybody how well we knew each other because I was like, well, you know, we don't want to rock the boat. But then it became, well, that's funny.
- [17:33]
Craig Ferguson
You must have kept it for me. I know. I knew you guys got along, but I had no idea that you went back that far, which would have made absolutely no difference at all. But I mean, but it was interesting because I remember when Alex took over because we were still working on the old style of format for television and Alex was the one that got us to put up to date cameras in the studios. Cause you look at the stuff before Alex, I mean, it's like soup. It's like TV from the night. I remember once Lily Tomlin was on the show and she said, oh, my God, the studio. When I was here, this was a closet. This was the wardrobe closet. They went, well, it's a studio now. She went, well, I love what you've done with it.
- [18:19]
Lisa Ammerman
Right, right. Well, I mean. Oh, she was a wonderful guest too. She was so fun.
- [18:23]
Craig Ferguson
She's great. Yeah, she's a lovely person.
- [18:24]
Lisa Ammerman
She was lovely.
- [18:26]
Craig Ferguson
Did you do her when she was on the show?
- [18:28]
Lisa Ammerman
I did. I had Lily Tomlin. I had. I'm trying to think, like, I mean, I have to say, I had so many, like, amazing sort of moments.
- [18:40]
Craig Ferguson
Hello, this is Craig Ferguson and I want to let you know I have a brand new stand up comedy special out now on YouTube. It's called I'm so happy and I would be so happy if you checked it out. To watch the special, just go to my YouTube channel at TheCraig FergusonShow and it's just right there. Just click it and play it and it's free. I can't. Look, I'm not gonna come around your house and show you how to do it. If you can't do it, then you can't have it, but if you can figure it out, it's yours. Got any fun trips coming up? One thing you probably haven't put on your packing list Learning the language. But with Babbel you can start talking in just a few weeks. Start speaking a new language with confidence thanks to Babbel's conversation based technique that quickly teaches you useful words and phrases about the things you actually talk about in the real world. There's over a dozen languages available to learn at your own pace so you can achieve your goals with material tailored to your individual proficiency level, interests and time availability. Studies from Yale, Michigan State and other leading universities continue to prove Babbel works with over 16 million subscriptions sold. Babbel's 14 award winning language courses are backed by a 20 day money back guarantee. So get talking with Babbel. Get up to 55% off at babbel.com joy spelled b a B-B-E-L.com joy babbel.com joy rules and restrictions may apply in sitcoms. When someone has a problem, they just blurt it out and move on. Well, I lost my job and my parakeet is missing.
- [20:12]
Lisa Ammerman
How was your day?
- [20:15]
Craig Ferguson
But the real world is different. Managing life's challenges can be overwhelming. So what do we do? We get support. The Huntsman Mental Health Institute and the Ad Council have mental health resources available for you at loveyourmindtoday.org that's loveyourmindtoday.org See how much further you can go when you take care of your mental health.
- [20:35]
Lisa Ammerman
Welcome to Pretty Private with ebony, the podcast where silence is broken and stories are set free. I'm Ebony and every Tuesday I'll be sharing all new anonymous stories that would challenge your perceptions and give you new insight on the people around you. On Pretty Private, we're explaining explore the untold experiences of women of color who faced it all. Childhood trauma, addiction, abuse, incarceration, grief, mental health struggles and more. And found the strength to make it to the other side. My dad was shot and killed in his house. Yes, he was a drug dealer. Yes, he was a confidential informant. But he wasn't shot on a street corner. He wasn't shot in the middle of a drug deal. He was shot in his house, unarmed. Pretty Private isn't just a podcast. It's your personal guide for turning storylines into lifelines. Every Tuesday, make sure you listen to Pretty Private from the Black Effect Podcast Network. Tune in on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
- [21:40]
Craig Ferguson
Our iHeartradio Music Festival, presented by Capital One, is coming back to Las Vegas, Vegas, September 19th and 20th on your streaming live only on Hulu. Ladies and gentlemen, Brian Adams, Ed Sheeran, Fade Glorilla, Jelly Roll, Sean Fogarty, Lil Wayne, LL Cool J, Mariah Carey, Maroon 5, Sammy Hagar, Tate McCrae, the Offspring, Tim McGraw. Tickets are on sale now at AXS.com get your tickets today AXS.com you know what we should do? He says we should explain to people. And maybe you should explain to me because I don't know if I fully understood the entire job, what exactly a segment producer on a late night show such as the one we did actually does.
- [22:30]
Lisa Ammerman
Sure. So ours actually was a little bit different than other shows. Other shows, there's bookers and there's producers. We combined those two roles and worked with outside bookers too. But so, you know, when we booked something, we then worked with our research department to make sure that we had sort of all up to date information on what they were promoting, which we never talked about. Yeah, it's all right. Nobody cared. And, and then I would get on the phone with that talent and, you know, spend like a half hour depending sort of, you know, find out what they were, what was happening in their lives. But our show really was because it was so sort of off the cuff. I, you know, when I spent so much time with you, I knew like, if you'd fallen off a horse, if you had like stubbed your toe, if you decided you were no longer, like, whatever. So I would try and find common ground because I knew once I got that common, like, you know, denominator out there, like, and you guys could start chatting, conversational oil just sort of took over. So I knew like, what. And I knew people who were capable of that and not capable of that. So if they weren't capable of it as, or it wasn't as comfortable for them, I would basically, you know, give them pointers on like, you know, if you feel like the conversation is starting to, you know, you know, go in a direction you're not comfortable with, ask them about something on the desk, ask them about something in the, do a call back to something you heard earlier in the show. And that always tended to work. So just prepping them.
- [24:01]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, that's great.
- [24:02]
Lisa Ammerman
Prepping you.
- [24:04]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah. I remember because we used to have that meme before the show every day where you would come in and the other. Who was this segment producer you worked with?
- [24:14]
Lisa Ammerman
I worked with a few when I first started. There was a gentleman named Josh and then Megan o' Toole was there for years. And I'm in touch with Megan. Who?
- [24:24]
Craig Ferguson
Megan o'. Toole. Fantastic. Yeah.
- [24:26]
Lisa Ammerman
You guys got tattoos together.
- [24:28]
Craig Ferguson
Yes. Right. I knew that story.
- [24:30]
Lisa Ammerman
That was before my time. And then Megan married a former intern who. Brian Kerr. They got. Yes. They've been married for, like, 10 years now. They have two adorable boys. Yeah, I mean, their boys are. I just met them, actually. I met the boys for the first time in New York a few weeks ago. They're ridiculous.
- [24:53]
Craig Ferguson
That makes me so happy.
- [24:55]
Lisa Ammerman
And Brian was really. He was. He was a little bit older as an intern, and so, like, he had been a pilot in the military, which is why you had, like, warm, impressive dude.
- [25:07]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah.
- [25:08]
Lisa Ammerman
Terrific writer.
- [25:09]
Craig Ferguson
And I just learned to fly, so I was talking to him a lot about planes and stuff like that. Well, is he still a pilot?
- [25:15]
Lisa Ammerman
No, I don't think so. Not that. Maybe I. Actually, I shouldn't answer. I don't know the answer.
- [25:19]
Craig Ferguson
But they weren't even dating when we were doing the show, were they? Or, you see, I didn't know what the hell was going on.
- [25:25]
Lisa Ammerman
Quietly. Yeah. But you know, our show. Our show had more than one marriage. Our writer, Ben Stout.
- [25:34]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah.
- [25:34]
Lisa Ammerman
He met his wife at the show. I don't remember.
- [25:37]
Craig Ferguson
I think I knew that.
- [25:38]
Lisa Ammerman
Yeah.
- [25:38]
Craig Ferguson
Because that was. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [25:40]
Lisa Ammerman
I'm still in touch with them. I was actually in touch with them recently.
- [25:43]
Craig Ferguson
Oh, that's great.
- [25:44]
Lisa Ammerman
Yeah. So those.
- [25:45]
Craig Ferguson
You're much better at this than I am. You're the only person I talk to from the. From the show, I think. Josh. Roberto. I talked to Josh.
- [25:51]
Lisa Ammerman
I love Josh. I've worked with Josh a lot. He makes me laugh. Yeah.
- [25:56]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah. Well, you see that much. He makes me laugh. It's all over the fucking Internet, you know, I mean, like, do you think it's weird how much the show. I remember having this conversation with Michael Natus, who you mentioned earlier about. About our show when we were making it. And I remember it was towards the end of it, we were winding down, and he says something about, you know, people were. You know, the tickets were. The audiences were like. It was backed up all the way and they couldn't find any space for people. And he said to me this thing, because I remember it as clear as day. We're in his office, and he said, people really love this show. And I said, yeah, but not as much as they're going to love it when we stop doing it. And I feel like that came true. I mean, I think that it's. It's got huge presence now that I don't know if he even had the presence that kind of. I mean, I suppose it did, but I wasn't aware of it, I guess. I mean, I was just going to work every day.
- [26:53]
Lisa Ammerman
I think what people really loved, I mean, I can tell it from the fan point and I can tell it from the talent point. The fan point was that it was always unexpected, like they never knew sort of what was coming. And it was like a dancing chorus, which actually I. Another amazing segment producer who I then worked with for years also after I left cbs, Matthew Coogler, he's started as an intern for us too. An amazing segment producer is now an executive producer. Love him.
- [27:17]
Craig Ferguson
That's amazing because Matt, he was a part of the horse. He was back into the horse because Joe Bolter was.
- [27:23]
Lisa Ammerman
Joe was the front end of the Touch with Joe.
- [27:25]
Craig Ferguson
Joe produces Tom Papa's radio show now and does Netflix as a joke and all of that. He's a big timey TV guy or whatever people are now.
- [27:38]
Lisa Ammerman
So, you know, I think that the fans loved the fact that, like, it was just wild and funny. And for people who really regularly watch the show, like the stuff that you got away with. Oh, my God. Blakey on the name of the robot. Jeff. Jeff. You know Jeff. How'd you get to Cleveland? I took the train. Oh, steam. I had to explain that one to my parents. Yeah, I was like, I know.
- [28:04]
Craig Ferguson
I mean, some of the stuff that we were getting past the sensor was crazy.
- [28:08]
Lisa Ammerman
Was crazy. Yeah.
- [28:10]
Craig Ferguson
I mean, it was nice, but because. And I also think the temperature was a little different then. I don't think anyone was like, I don't think the Internet was quite looking for it and didn't need as much content as it needs now. So there wasn't like, you know, this, you know, what did they do that we can get angry about. But I mean, I think now there would be a little more of that, which is a shame because it was, you know, where I kind of like, have you ever heard of a radio show in Britain called I'm sorry, I haven't a clue. No. Well, there's a radio show. It's a panel show. It's been running on BBC Radio for years and years and years and years. Like I think from maybe the 1960s or maybe before. And it's different, people have rotated through, like Doctor who or something like that. But there was a time when it was. It was hosted by a guy called Humphrey Littleton who was a jazz trumpeter.
- [29:07]
Lisa Ammerman
Okay.
- [29:07]
Craig Ferguson
And there were three Panelists on every show. So it was basically improvised comedy. It was a guy called Timbrook Taylor, a guy called Willie Rushton, and a guy called Graham Garden. And there were other guys on it as well who were hilarious. But what they did was very early on in the life of our show, like, I'm talking maybe even before you got there. I think probably before you got there. Maybe like 2005. Ish. I was flying from London to Los Angeles, and there was a compilation of these old radio shows on Virgin Atlantic. I was on the plane, so I listened. And they were hysterical. They were hysterical, and they were filthy. I mean, stuff. Now they'd be like, oh, my God, like, utterly filthy. But it was all double entendres. It was all, you know, filthy double entrances. And I was just weeping with laughter on the play. And I remember saying to Megan, when I got off, I was like, you know, the. Whatever that is, I'm gonna do as much as that.
- [30:13]
Lisa Ammerman
But it was so fun. I mean, and like, the, you know, sort of the. The talent liked it also because they felt taken care of. You know, you never. It was never at, like, a really, really awkward moment. Like this weird pregn. They all under. That was another thing that as segment producers, we would always say to them, like, yes and no, but that is the key to this show, you know? And they all got that.
- [30:38]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, I think improvisation was way to go. People always say this to me, and I wonder if they say it to you. They always say to me, who was your favorite guest? And I always say, you know, Betty, why? Or because there are too many that were great. But is there anyone that stands out to you?
- [30:53]
Lisa Ammerman
I mean, other than Desmond Archbishop, Desmond Tutu, which was just, like, so amazing. That was, like, really incredible. I mean, I got. Because we traveled with people, I really got to know some of them very well. And they were always fun and funny. Like, Kristen Bell was a favorite.
- [31:12]
Craig Ferguson
Kristen was amazing.
- [31:13]
Lisa Ammerman
She was a favorite. David Sedaris was a favorite.
- [31:16]
Craig Ferguson
Yep. Oh, great. They all came to school.
- [31:18]
Lisa Ammerman
Giamatti didn't travel with us, but should have. He would have been great. I've worked with him a lot since Love. I mean, they were all fun and playful. I also. I loved the fact that we did so many authors, because I think a lot of times people only see authors on, like, a really sort of short promotional window, like Good Morning America or the Today show. And it's like, tell me the plot of your book. How hard was it? What happens when you get writer's block? And we didn't talk about that at all. Although I will tell you, John Irving, who I have. I was gonna say everything. And you're like, we gotta get John Irving. And I'm like, okay. Have you ever seen him? Okay. He's like, the hardest interview. I think you were out there with him for, like, nine minutes. And I think I went back and counted. I think he said 11 words.
- [32:04]
Craig Ferguson
I. I remember it because I remember John Irving thinking, God, this is about as hard as it can get. And look, he's a great writer, and I wanted him in there. Oh, my God. No, that.
- [32:14]
Lisa Ammerman
Yes.
- [32:14]
Craig Ferguson
And so when he. When he came in and I. And I. Because I remember it then I was like, oh, my God. And then years and years and years later, I'm talking years after we finished, I came across some thing that was lying around the house. Megan and I were moving house yet again. And I found some thing lying around that was a list of authors talking about their experience on our old show.
- [32:39]
Lisa Ammerman
Because I would love to see that.
- [32:41]
Craig Ferguson
Because I can't even remember where it was. But there was a quote from John Irving, who said, oh, I loved it. It was so playable that he had such a great time. He was my favorite. You should have let me know at the time. But I think you're right. I think talking isn't his thing.
- [32:58]
Lisa Ammerman
And he seemed like he had a grin on his face, so I think he was enjoying himself. He's just not super chatty.
- [33:06]
Craig Ferguson
I think he's maybe shy.
- [33:08]
Lisa Ammerman
Yes. Probably. Yes. Yes, yes, yes. Another one that I have to say I always loved was the first time we had Robin Williams on.
- [33:17]
Craig Ferguson
And his.
- [33:18]
Lisa Ammerman
Daughter had been a huge fan and convinced him to do it because we'd been out to him forever, you know, and convinced him to do it. And, you know, initially he came on, he did some material, and then he settled in, and afterwards he came off camera and he literally just turned to me and it was like, oh, my God. He hugged me and he was like, I have found a home. And I was like, it was so lovely. He was so, so lovely.
- [33:44]
Craig Ferguson
He was. I mean, I still, you know, kind of. I say, I think it was about this time of year when I. When he died. I mean, it was sort of sometime. And I still think about it, you know, I'm like, what the man. And that one really got to me. I mean, because people that became friends. Carrie Fisher was another one.
- [34:06]
Lisa Ammerman
She's still in my.
- [34:08]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, me too. I've still get. I still get Robin and Carrie Fisher. My phone. And I still have, you Know, I lost my phone about a year ago or something. And, you know when you get your new email thing and all that sorted out, and I found the email that I sent to Carrie before I knew she had died. Oh, I had sent her an email because she'd been in London for a long time. And I was like, I haven't seen you for ages, and what the fuck? And where are you? And then. And it was like that. It was like the day before or something. And she never got back. Never back to me, obviously, you know, But.
- [34:45]
Lisa Ammerman
Right, right.
- [34:47]
Craig Ferguson
I was like, oh, my God.
- [34:49]
Lisa Ammerman
She was always fun. She always got. These are all people who just, like, totally got the show. And they just leaned, like. I hate that term, but, like, leaned into it, you know?
- [34:57]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, they understood it. I think that, you know, there are people who, like, I think about, you know, I can't believe I ended up kind of knowing them and talking to them, like Dennis Hopper and Michael Caine. And, you know, it was like, yeah, yeah. And I mean, these kind of. It's such an odd feeling when you. I don't know if you got this, but I always thought people that you would. You could hardly really believe that they actually exist. And then they become human and friendly and some. Some of them not so friendly. But I don't really remember anyone being an asshole that.
- [35:36]
Lisa Ammerman
To be honest, people ask me that question all the time. Like.
- [35:40]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, they always. They ask me, too. It's weird.
- [35:42]
Lisa Ammerman
And I have to say, and this is real. I'm not just sort of, like, throwing a Hollywood line out there. Like, very much I was the last face that people saw before they went in front of a live studio audience. So they were kind. They wanted me to help them somehow. You know, like, give me something so that I go out there and don't, like, you know, make an ass of myself. And so, for the most part, I never. I mean, in seven years on the show, there were really very few incidents where you were kind of like, all right, take a breather. This is not cancer.
- [36:16]
Craig Ferguson
One or two. And I've never talked about them publicly, and I won't today, because I think sometimes people get nervous, correct? Particularly, I think, if they're new to the game. I mean, there's. Because I think back on, you know, sometimes when I was, like, when I was coming up, I was probably a lot touchier. Like, if I do a talk show now or them, I'm like, I'm fine. Fuck it. Whatever they say, oh, we're running late, or you get yourself there, or whatever. I Don't have it. But I think when you're very insecure, most people, I think, get rid of it over time. But some people remain insecure and it gets a little. A little weird. But I don't remember much of it. I really don't. I also feel like maybe that comes from the vibe of the show. Like, being precious around our show didn't do much for you. I don't think. I don't think it helped.
- [37:13]
Lisa Ammerman
Agree. And I was gonna say, too. I mean, that's also why you have producers as a buffer for you.
- [37:17]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, of course.
- [37:19]
Lisa Ammerman
Our mantra was always to protect the host, and the host is the brand. It's you, it's the show, you know, but at the same time, we weren't. This wasn't 60 Minutes. Like, we were also protecting the guest. I mean, there were a few times where a guest said something that was like a career ender, and I, like, would turn to the publicist and be like, I got you. Don't worry, she will work again. Yeah, yeah.
- [37:38]
Craig Ferguson
I remember a few of those thinking, that's gonna come out. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was like, it's funny that, because I think now that would be much harder because someone in the audience would tweet it or, you know, like, oh, they said this, and they must have cut it out the show or. I think the scrutiny on the way people are now probably makes the type of show we did almost impossible. I would think it would have to have a polemic so that you would say, we don't care about that, or so that you would. It'd have to be a thing. You'd have to make it a thing.
- [38:16]
Lisa Ammerman
I mean, this is POV of one. But my favorite was always when something bothered you and you just, like, threw out, like, everything. So, like, do you remember the time? This is actually one of my favorite monologues, which is not really fair to the writers who, you know, you worked so closely with. But I did love this when we had the leak in the old.
- [38:35]
Craig Ferguson
Oh, I was so fucking mad about that.
- [38:38]
Lisa Ammerman
It was like 10 minutes. I mean, where you just went off. I literally, like, it was so funny. It was so funny. And another thing I also loved, which was semi rehearsed, I guess, but when you and John Reynolds, who I'm also in touch with love, he was a writer performer for us, and he was you and you were Larry King, and he.
- [39:03]
Craig Ferguson
That was great.
- [39:05]
Lisa Ammerman
Like, I mean, so I've literally still watched some of those on YouTube and, like, died laughing. They're very funny.
- [39:11]
Craig Ferguson
No, It's. It's funny because I remember that because his. His impression of me was so cruel that it was hilarious because he was doing it right to me, and I could see. And he worked for me. So he was. I mean, then Stones on that, man. Because he was. He was so funny with me. Really bad. And I was like, oh, God damn.
- [39:36]
Lisa Ammerman
So funny.
- [39:36]
Craig Ferguson
He's very challenging funny because I did the same. I remember having the same experience with Larry because, remember with Larry King, I used to do this rather kind of vicious impression of him. And then I met him and I loved him.
- [39:50]
Lisa Ammerman
He was so lovely. He was on my very short list of, like, anytime we had a dropout like Larry King. Tom Lennon, also another favorite. Still love Ton.
- [40:01]
Craig Ferguson
I'm still in touch with Tom, actually.
- [40:03]
Lisa Ammerman
Oh, very nice. Yeah.
- [40:04]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah. No, he's still. I'm still friendly with him.
- [40:06]
Lisa Ammerman
Yeah, I love him. Those two were, like, at the top of our lists. Who were on the dropout? Oh, I would call sometimes Michael Sheen if he was in town. He was also a terrific guest.
- [40:17]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah. Oh, was great as well.
- [40:19]
Lisa Ammerman
So great. Like, those three were sort of at the very top of the list, like, where I was like, on Speedow. Hurry, can you get here at 2?
- [40:26]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, there was tons of that. And I think the Tim Meadows, of course, as well.
- [40:31]
Lisa Ammerman
Love Tim Meadows. Yeah.
- [40:33]
Craig Ferguson
I think Tim was actually on the show more than anyone else. I think he holds the record. I remember talking to someone. It was either Tim or Kristen Bell, I'm not sure. But he was spectacular. And he was. I remember, like, well, call Tim. Probably the night you had to come on and be. It must have been pretty late, or we would have called Tim or Tom Lennon. Tom Lennon lived, like, five blocks away from the studio anyway.
- [41:03]
Lisa Ammerman
It was so late. I mean, we started like clockwork. Talk about German precision. We were like. We always were on.
- [41:11]
Craig Ferguson
Well, my kids were little, but that's.
- [41:13]
Lisa Ammerman
Why, as a mom, I appreciated it. I mean, you know, I. I was the only working. No. Is that right? No, I was not the. I was one of, like, two working moms when I started the show, I think.
- [41:23]
Craig Ferguson
Right. I think that that increased over time.
- [41:26]
Lisa Ammerman
Yes, for sure. But, like, at the time, I mean, my daughter, who's now 20, was like three.
- [41:32]
Craig Ferguson
Milo's 24.
- [41:33]
Lisa Ammerman
It's insane. I know.
- [41:35]
Craig Ferguson
Liam's 14. I mean, it's like. It's crazy when I think about it, because. But when I. When I was. You know. But Liam was born in 2011, so he was there for the last three years of the show, so I had a little baby then and then Milo. When I started the show in 2005, he was only four years old. And I was a single dad at that point, so I would like. The reason I got in a habit of the show, always had to be on time is because I had childcare until 6 o' clock, and if I didn't finish it, so 6 o', clock, then what the fuck I was going to do? So I had to start on time and finish on time. So that. And it's crazy when you think of all of the shit I could have got up to, but I always had to finish at 6:00 and then get a baby and take him home. Mm.
- [42:26]
Lisa Ammerman
I used to bring Sasha, my daughter, to the office if we had a dropout. Like, I was like, shit, here's some pushpins. Play with these, you know?
- [42:34]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, yeah. But I mean, remember, there were kids. Towards the last few years of the show, there was. Seems like there were kids running all over the place.
- [42:42]
Lisa Ammerman
Totally.
- [42:43]
Craig Ferguson
It was a different. Yeah, it was a different type of thing. When your car is making a strange noise, no matter what it is, you can't just pretend it's not happening. That's an interesting sound. It's like your mental health. If you're struggling and feeling overwhelmed, it's important to do something about it. It can be as simple as talking to someone or just taking a deep, calming breath to ground yourself. Because once you start to address the problem, you can go so much further. The Huntsman Mental Health Institute and the Ad Council have resources available for you at loveyourmindtoday.org welcome to Pretty Private with.
- [43:21]
Lisa Ammerman
Ebony, the podcast where silence is broken and stories are set free. I'm Ebonae, and every Tuesday, I'll be sharing all new anonymous stories that would challenge your perceptions and give you new insight on the people around you. On Pretty Private, we'll explore the untold experiences of women of color who faced it all. Childhood trauma, addiction, abuse, incarceration, grief, mental health struggles and more. And found the shrimp to make it to the other side. My dad was shot and killed in his house. Yes, he was a drug dealer. Yes, he was a confidential informant. But he wasn't shot on a street corner. He wasn't shot in the middle of a drug deal. He was shot in his house, unarmed. Pretty Private isn't just a podcast. It's your personal guide for turning storylines into lifelines. Every Tuesday, make sure you listen to Pretty Private from the Black Effect podcast network. Tune in on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Sometimes it's hard to remember, but going.
- [44:28]
Craig Ferguson
Through something like that is a traumatic experience, but it's also not the end of your life.
- [44:34]
Lisa Ammerman
That was my dad reminding me and so many others who need to hear it that our trauma is not our shame to carry and that we have big, bold and beautiful lives to live after what happened to us. I'm your host and co president of this organization, Dr. Lea Trittate. On my new podcast, the Unwanted Sorority, we wade through transformation to peel back healing and reveal what it actually looks like and sounds like in real time. Each week I sit down with people who've lived through harm, carried silence, and are now reshaping the systems that failed us. We're going to talk about the adultification of black girls mothering as resistance and the tools we use for healing. Healing. The Unwanted Sorority is a safe space, not a quiet space. So let's lock in. We're moving towards liberation together. Listen to the Unwanted Sorority. New episodes every Thursday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [45:27]
Craig Ferguson
Our iHeartRadio music festival, presented by Capital One, is coming back to Las Vegas. Vegas, September 19th and 20th, your feet. Streaming live only on Hulu. Ladies and gentlemen, Brian Adams, Ed Sheeran, Fade Chlorilla, Jelly Roll, John Fogarty, Lil Wayne, LL Cool J, Mariah Carey, Maroon 5, Sammy Hagar, Tate McCrae, the Offspring, Tim McGraw. Tickets are on sale now at AXS.com get your tickets today AXS.com I don't know if I said this to you the time, but I do remember it and I've talked about it since. One of the things, one of the reasons why I really had to stop doing that show was when I came in every day and you touched on it earlier with that protect the host thing. When I walked in every day, there was pictures of me everywhere and all the stationery had my name on it. And everybody wanted to make sure I was in a good mood. And that really fucks with your head. It really fucks with your head because I started. I mean, it makes you paranoid because you. I have a friend who's a, who was a cop, he's no longer a cop, but he said what he hated about being a cop is that you feel like even if they're not, you feel like everyone's lying to you. And I said that's exactly what it's like being a late night host. Not everyone is lying to you, but it feels like everyone is Lying to you. And I think it's a kind of paranoia that comes in.
- [47:01]
Lisa Ammerman
I mean, you know, I will say I think I speak for anybody who works with hosts or anchors or anybody who's got a daily or a nightly show. You do not want to say something ahead of the show that could impact the host, like, you know, performance, mindset, whatever. And I request it makes perfect sense. You know, you actually had said to me when we were in the interview process, when we met that time at the Grove beforehand, you had said to me, if you have an issue with me, we can talk about it at 6 o', clock. Let's not talk about it before the show. And I remember that and. Which is true. And I mean, you know, there wasn't anything that was like earth, shadowy that we couldn't figure out, like how to handle. And so it was, you know, that was. Again, it was protecting the host, it was protecting the show, and it was protecting the guest that was gonna go out there. So there wasn't anything that was like, I mean, nobody walked in violent, you know.
- [48:02]
Craig Ferguson
No, no, I don't remember any kind of. Because you hear, I mean, I heard that about other shows and you hear stuff. I don't really remember anything, any guest behaving particularly badly with us or anybody being an asshole when they were coming out. I mean, again, I probably wouldn't have heard about it. You know, I probably certainly you're not going to say to me before someone comes out and I've got to be nice to them, this person's a fucking asshole and you're going to hate them because that doesn't make any sense. And then, then because I know you, I would think, well, this person is an asshole and I am going to hate them. And then that's. That's not great to watch.
- [48:38]
Lisa Ammerman
No. And I mean. And I think what was helpful, I think too is because we would do the pre interview and somebody would like, somebody said like, you know, please just make sure he doesn't ask me about like my dating life because I'm getting divorced. Like, okay, totally get it off the record, of course. And like, you know, we would tell you that because again, you never want to have that moment out there because that's not protecting you. It's not protecting them. Like, this isn't six. This is a tmz.
- [49:03]
Craig Ferguson
I remember one. We won't see who it is, but I remember one where I said it was just riffing out there, but nothing. And I said to the guest, you still in that mad religious cult? And I didn't know that they were. They were a Scientologist. I. I'll tell you later who.
- [49:20]
Lisa Ammerman
I think I do know who it is.
- [49:22]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah. And then I, like, I think it was. You said to me afterwards, you know, they're a Scientologist. I went. I didn't. Oh, my God, this little thing. Oh, no. And I. We cut it out of the show and I had. I call. I remember I called this person up in their car on the way home and I said, I am so sorry. I know what. I meant nothing by that. And we'll cut it out. When they were fighting about it. But I was like, jesus, you can put your fucking foot in it. So easy. Over and over again.
- [49:52]
Lisa Ammerman
We had somebody that we worked with quite a bit. I'm not going to name names who was off camera because we spent some time. We spent some time with this person. They then were very difficult to myself and the staff. But we kept that from you until we were. We were positive that we had good content with that person because it was something. Stuff we were doing off camera. I mean, you know, outside the studio.
- [50:22]
Craig Ferguson
Oh, my God.
- [50:23]
Lisa Ammerman
Yeah.
- [50:23]
Craig Ferguson
But I mean, you. I remember. I remember who that was. Yeah, I remember now. Oh, no, we can't talk about that. But, yeah, that's right. I was like, oh, my God, I had no idea. And I remember you guys saying, well, that's. I remember you told me afterwards, though. I remember that it was very disappointing.
- [50:41]
Lisa Ammerman
But Josh. Robert Thompson did an amazing impersonation of that person that made it so much easier. Every time that person opened their mouth, we were like, ha, ha. It didn't matter.
- [50:51]
Craig Ferguson
You know, it's so funny. Josh can do everybody.
- [50:54]
Lisa Ammerman
It's unreal.
- [50:55]
Craig Ferguson
Everybody. He. That. The savant, like, quality that you can watch a human being for like, yeah, 10 minutes. And it's not to say that he doesn't work at stuff. I know that he does actually have a process and he works and he's very diligent and stuff, but he's coming from a place of such talent anyway. I mean, it's bizarre.
- [51:16]
Lisa Ammerman
Unbelievable. It is really unbelievable. I don't think he. He's never done me to my face, but I bet it would be good.
- [51:22]
Craig Ferguson
I bet he could do you. I bet he could do it. I mean, what's alarming is when he did me to me and because he started doing the robot doing my voice, I'm like, my voice is nothing like that. And then people would laugh because he would say, oh, yeah. And I was like, but it's not, but apparently it is. And I guess you don't hear yourself like it is inside your head. I suppose that happens to me quite a lot.
- [51:49]
Lisa Ammerman
Well, you know, what I love about that, too, is that I feel like, you know, so many people are always saying, like, you know, it's so hard to pay attention, and we're so distracted. We know we're overwhelmed with so much information. He, like, zones in on stuff that people say. He listens so intently and then uses it. I mean, it's really. It's. It's amazing.
- [52:09]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, yeah. He finds a quirk, and he gets at it. When your car is making a strange noise, no matter what it is, you can't just pretend it's not happening.
- [52:24]
Lisa Ammerman
That's an interesting sound.
- [52:25]
Craig Ferguson
It's like your mental health. If you're struggling and feeling overwhelmed, it's important to do something about it. It can be as simple as talking to someone or just taking a deep, calming breath to ground yourself. Because once you start to address the problem, you can go so much further. The Huntsman Mental Health Institute and the Ad Council have resources available for you at loveyourmindtoday.org welcome to Pretty Private with.
- [52:49]
Lisa Ammerman
Ebony, the podcast where silence is broken and stories are set free. I'm ebony, and every Tuesday, I'll be sharing all new anonymous stories that would challenge your perceptions and give you new insight on the people around you. On Pretty Private, we'll explore the untold experiences of women of color who faced it all. Childhood trauma, addiction, abuse, incarceration, grief, mental health struggles, and more. And found the strength to make it to the other side. My dad was shot and killed in his house. Yes, he was a drug dealer. Yes, he was a confidential informant. But he wasn't shot on a street corner. He wasn't shot in the middle of a drug deal. He was shot in his house, unarmed. Pretty Private isn't just a podcast. It's your personal guide for turning storylines into lifelines. Every Tuesday, make sure you listen to Pretty Private from the Black Effect podcast network. Tune in on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Your entire identity has been fabricated. Your beloved brother goes missing without a trace. You discover the depths of your mother's illness, the way it has echoed and reverberated throughout your life, impacting your very legacy. Hi, I'm Danny Shapiro, and these are just a few of the profound and powerful stories I'll be mining on our 12th season of Family Secrets. With over 37 million downloads, we continue to Be moved and inspired by our guests and their courageously told stories. I can't wait to share 10 powerful new episodes with you. Stories of tangled up identities, concealed truths, and the way in which family secrets almost always need to be told. I hope you'll join me and my extraordinary guests for this new season of Family Secrets. Listen to Family Secrets, Season 12 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. American history is full of wise people. One woman said something like, you know, 99.99% of war is diarrhea and 1% is. Those founding fathers were gossipy AF and they loved to cut each other down.
- [55:10]
Craig Ferguson
I'm Bob Crawford, host of American History Hotline, the show where you send us your questions about American history and I find the answers, including the nuggets of.
- [55:20]
Lisa Ammerman
Wisdom our history has to offer. Hamilton pauses and then he says, the greatest man that ever lived was Julius Caesar. And Jefferson writes in his diary, this proves that Hamilton is for a dictator based on corruption.
- [55:35]
Craig Ferguson
My favorite line was what Neil Armstrong said. It would have been harder to fake.
- [55:40]
Lisa Ammerman
It than to do it.
- [55:41]
Craig Ferguson
Listen to American History Hotline on the.
- [55:43]
Lisa Ammerman
Iheartradio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [55:55]
Craig Ferguson
Alright, so it's 10 years, more than 10 years since we stopped to do in the show.
- [56:01]
Lisa Ammerman
Yes.
- [56:02]
Craig Ferguson
So what, what did you do in between? What did you do between then and now? I know you kind of invented podcasts or something. What happened?
- [56:09]
Lisa Ammerman
I did not invent podcasting, but well after, right after the show ended, I was an exec at CBS for a number of years where I was sort of creating synergy across the network. So I worked with a lot of the people that, you know in PR and marketing and other late night shows like Colbert and Corden started. Yeah. So that was actually really fun.
- [56:29]
Craig Ferguson
Did you, did you work with James Corden after I had go.
- [56:32]
Lisa Ammerman
No, just, I mean just sort of his staff. That I was never on the show.
- [56:37]
Craig Ferguson
Like right, for the transition.
- [56:39]
Lisa Ammerman
Exactly, yes, a little bit of that. And then, and then after I did that for three years and then I co founded a production, a podcast production company and we did that. I did that for like the last like seven years. I left that in November and now actually just more recently I started as a director of cultural programming at a members club in New York. So I'm actually really living in New York now. It's just kind of bonkers.
- [57:06]
Craig Ferguson
Ah, it's very nice.
- [57:07]
Lisa Ammerman
Yeah.
- [57:07]
Craig Ferguson
Now I don't want to reveal my exact location, but I am also In New York?
- [57:13]
Lisa Ammerman
Yes.
- [57:14]
Craig Ferguson
I mean, I'll reveal my exact location to you. Yeah. But, you know, and I don't think anyone cares anymore, but there might be a few crazy people left over who couldn't sleep in the, you know, 10 years or so ago. It's funny, though. I don't know, I feel like that level of visibility that was on, you know, that we were dealing with on late night, that I would not court that anymore. That never made me comfortable, you know.
- [57:46]
Lisa Ammerman
I mean, I raised a child in Los Angeles, and so we would see people out everywhere. Gas station, grocery store, whatever. And, you know, we'd be like. Or, you know, little Canyon store, where I am.
- [57:58]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah.
- [57:59]
Lisa Ammerman
Oh, look, look, look. You know, and when she was really.
- [58:03]
Craig Ferguson
Getting milk, I thought he was a vegan.
- [58:07]
Lisa Ammerman
And, you know, and when she was little, she would say, do you think I could ask for a picture? And we would always say, no, that person's not working today. Like, leave them alone. They're with their family. Whatever. And, I mean, I have watched, like, you know, at the airport, like, someone's, you know, sniping a picture of so and so, and it's like, it's off. There's no privacy. I wouldn't. I mean, I'm a very private person. I would not want that for myself. And I find it. I think it's probably hard for most people. You have so little that's your own anymore.
- [58:39]
Craig Ferguson
I think that's. I mean, look, you don't even have to be famous now. You just have to be dumb. Like, look at those people at that Coldplay concert. Those people that were having an affair. Like, neither one of those people is a public person. Neither one of them has a TV show or anything like that. They were fucking everywhere.
- [58:58]
Lisa Ammerman
Everywhere. I mean, the memes that I got, some of them were hilarious, but then.
- [59:01]
Craig Ferguson
I have to say, some of them were hilarious. But.
- [59:03]
Lisa Ammerman
Hilarious, but still. Exactly. And I catch myself because I think, oh, you know, they're parents. They have kids who are seeing this, too. And it's like the collateral damage on that is heartbreaking.
- [59:16]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, I think so. I think that it's such an oddly different world. I think it's funny, though, because I talked to people, even on this podcast. If you talk to actors or directors or artists of any kind, they're very concerned and very suspicious about AI and about the development of that. If you talk to anyone in medicine, they're like, this is the greatest fucking thing since sliced bread. This stuff's amazing. It's going to save so many people. And so I guess the perspective of what the technology can do depends on where you're standing. But I feel like, like publicly, it. It seems like an odd time to be famous. I don't know if I'd want it.
- [60:08]
Lisa Ammerman
Mean, like the deep fake stuff like that. I mean, that's.
- [60:11]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, I mean, you know, I mean.
- [60:14]
Lisa Ammerman
You don't know what to believe sometimes.
- [60:16]
Craig Ferguson
I guess the good thing is if you ever do anything dumb, you can just go, ah, that's not true. That. That's AI. I didn't do that. In fact, that's going to be my position from now on.
- [60:26]
Lisa Ammerman
There you go.
- [60:27]
Craig Ferguson
When everyone says you said that. Well, that wasn't me, it was Joyce Robert Thompson.
- [60:32]
Lisa Ammerman
Exactly.
- [60:33]
Craig Ferguson
It was him doing my voice, which I still don't think sounds like my voice, but apparently it does.
- [60:38]
Lisa Ammerman
Well, I mean, I don't know if he still does Morgan Freeman or not, but when he. So Morgan Freeman came on probably once a year on the show, and I produced him the majority of that time. And one time as he was. We were done and he was walking off stage, Josh just started riffing as Morgan and he turns to me and he's like, is that me? He couldn't even tell the difference, which was insane.
- [61:05]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, I know, it was amazing. I remember because when Josh got a load. When Morgan Freeman got a load of what Josh looked like, and he's like, wow, you're a skinny little white kid. What the hell? I mean, it was amazing. Yeah, it's funny to say. I mean, I didn't watch Late Night before I did it and I didn't watch it when I was doing it, and I don't watch it now, so I have no real connection to it. Were you a fan of it? Did you?
- [61:38]
Lisa Ammerman
I grew up watching Letterman, like in bits, you know, like the top 10 list. Stupid Petrich. I had a friend who tried that I would do.
- [61:45]
Craig Ferguson
Yes, Letterman was different.
- [61:46]
Lisa Ammerman
Yeah, I remember her standing. This woman is now a doctor, but when we were in like 10th grade, she was standing on the payphone at. In our high school doing like an, I guess a. What's the right word? Audition for stupid Petrick. So she was like doing some animal noises or something like that, like in the hallway in her, like, you know, uniform. So she did not make it, but she ended up okay. She's a doctor.
- [62:11]
Craig Ferguson
And then.
- [62:12]
Lisa Ammerman
But the. When my daughter was born, the. She was born in the, like just after 12:30 in the morning. That was when I went to labor and so Conan was on in the room. How weird. Is that when she was born?
- [62:26]
Craig Ferguson
That is so funny.
- [62:27]
Lisa Ammerman
Yeah. Which I hadn't thought about until just now, actually. And. But I mean, I have to say, like, having. I love conversations, so I love sort of those kinds of, like, storytelling and, you know, like, that reminds me of, like, my childhood and, like, listening to my parents and my grandparents, like, always sort of telling crazy stories, one louder or more, you know, strange than the other. And so I like that.
- [62:52]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, I like it, too. I feel like I just wonder sometimes. It's the thing I wrestle with, even with this podcast, is that I love the conversations, and I love the conversations with people that I want. That I want to talk to. And I was talking today and stuff like that, and sometimes I feel like, like the tricky part is people who do not wish you well are listening into these conversations. And that sometimes gets to my head and sometimes I completely forget all about it. I never used to think about it at late night, just never at all. But I think about it a bit now.
- [63:28]
Lisa Ammerman
I had a coffee with a friend the other day, and we're both, you know, women of a certain age, and we were sort of laughing. I was like, aren't you at that age now where you're like, could give two fucks. I don't care. Like, at this point, like, you know, like, honestly, if somebody doesn't like something I said, I think I've been kind. I try to. I try to be a good listener, a good friend. If somebody is upset about something, I can't. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
- [63:55]
Craig Ferguson
I think that. I think that's fucking healthy. My position is this. And I say this, and I do it when I'm doing stand up now as well. I say, look, I can't be held accountable for what I say there. That's it.
- [64:10]
Lisa Ammerman
Fair.
- [64:10]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, I. I can't be held accountable for what I say also. The thing is, it was kind of weird. This is one thing I noticed about when you write a book as well, I've talked to a few authors about this, that you write something down maybe in your 30s or 40s, and you really believe that thing to be true. And then about 10 or 15 years later, you're like, oh, my God, that's such fucking bullshit. I hate that. I feel completely the opposite of that. But now that's a thing you said, and it's written down so people could put it on T shirts and then put your name underneath it, and you're like, oh, my God. And then now I'm the guy that said that. And I don't believe that at all. But I did. Then.
- [64:55]
Lisa Ammerman
Do you want to write more or do you want to write another book?
- [64:58]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, I'm kind of diddling away with something right now.
- [65:02]
Lisa Ammerman
Oh, that's great. Okay. Fiction or nonfiction?
- [65:06]
Craig Ferguson
Fiction. But the. But I. But in this day and age, I don't think there's such a thing as fiction or non. Fiction. I think it's all just a big fucking soup now.
- [65:16]
Lisa Ammerman
Fair.
- [65:18]
Craig Ferguson
The. But the. There was a thing that Peter Cook, who had he been alive, I would definitely had him on the show. You know, Cook was my mentor. I think I've told him that. I did know that years ago. Yeah. And Cookie was so great to me. Whatever anyone would say. He told me this himself. He said, whatever one. Anyone says to me, I'm writing a book. I always say this. Neither am I there.
- [65:41]
Lisa Ammerman
Is he ever. Was he ever on the show?
- [65:45]
Craig Ferguson
No, no, he died before we started.
- [65:47]
Lisa Ammerman
Oh, he did die before. Okay. I didn't know when he died.
- [65:49]
Craig Ferguson
Yeah, he died. He died like quite a long time before I started Late Night. I would have fucking been. He would have been all over it as well. He would have fucking loved it. Because of course, my whole fucking. A lot of what I did was stolen from. Stolen. Seems like a bit much was influenced then and procured from me, certainly in some part by knowing Peter and working with Peter Cook. I mean, he was fucking amazing. So funny. And so again, a very kind person, a very empathetic person and a kind of sad person too, you know.
- [66:26]
Lisa Ammerman
How had you initially met him? I forgot.
- [66:28]
Craig Ferguson
I asked him to be. I asked him to be on a thing that I was doing for. For Channel 4 in the UK. And I sent him the script and he said yes. I think he said yes because the production company I was working for was owned by rowan Atkinson. Who Mr. Bean. And rowan knew Peter, so. And then once I met Peter, he was very nice and friendly and we established, you know, how it happened, you know, that thing. And it was lovely. Look, we should meet and spill some real tea that we can't talk about publicly very soon. Yes, I'm out of town right now, but I'll be in New York in a couple of days. And I know Megan wants to call you and set up something as well, so we'll do that. In the meantime, bugger off. You're done here. Well done.
- [67:21]
Lisa Ammerman
Thank you.
- [67:21]
Craig Ferguson
And the next time, I'll talk to Sean William Scott.
- [67:24]
Lisa Ammerman
Oh, thank you. I could find him. I'll find him for you.
- [67:29]
Craig Ferguson
You know, that would be that would be funny if we. I, I haven't seen him in years.
- [67:34]
Lisa Ammerman
Years. Although he was. Oh, do you watch? Right.
- [67:37]
Craig Ferguson
He was on the Righteous Gemstones. Yeah. Yeah, he was great.
- [67:39]
Lisa Ammerman
I'm re watching that right now because my daughter hadn't watched it. So. Edie Patterson is a genius. Danny McBride is a genius.
- [67:50]
Craig Ferguson
American poet. This is wonderful.
- [67:54]
Lisa Ammerman
Yeah, I love that.
- [67:55]
Craig Ferguson
Again, he's somebody I wish we'd had on the show and we didn't have. That'd be great. But then again, it could have been a Jordan Irving situation. Maybe he's not good. Maybe he's. He likes to be in charge of it. I don't know.
- [68:06]
Lisa Ammerman
I don't know. All right, we're done here. Bugger off.
- [68:24]
Craig Ferguson
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- [69:41]
Lisa Ammerman
Listen to money and wealth from the Black Effect podcast network on iHeartRadio app.
- [69:45]
Craig Ferguson
Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. It's Black Business Month and black tech green money is tapping in. I'm Will Lucas spotlighting black founders, investors and innovators building the future one idea at a time. Let's talk legacy tech and generational wealth.
- [70:02]
Lisa Ammerman
I smell had the skill and I had the talent. I didn't have the opportunity. Yeah, we all know, right? Genius is evenly distributed opportunity is not.
- [70:12]
Craig Ferguson
To hear this and more on the power of Black innovation and ownership. Listen to Black Tech, Green Money from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [70:23]
Lisa Ammerman
Hey guys, it's Janae, AKA Cheekies from Cheekies and Chill Podcast and I'm bringing you an all new mini podcast series called Sincerely Janae. Sure, I'm a singer, author, businesswoman and podcaster, but at the end of the day, I am human and that's why I'm sharing my ups and downs with you in real time and on the go. Listen to Jiggies and chill on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an iHeart podcast.