Former Late Late Show host Craig Ferguson will now helm a different sort of venture: a 16 episode history debate show featuring a panel of guests. The History Channel announced that they picked up the new series, entitled Join or Die with Craig Ferguson, this week. Alongside celebrities and historians, Ferguson will debate topics from a wide swath of American and international history. Maybe the Scot will even throw in some tidbits from his homeland?
“I’m a huge fan of History and what they do,” said Ferguson in a statement according to Deadline. “I’m delighted to be on their schedule and promise that we will have a lot of fun but we will also stick to the truth.” Topics that the upcoming series will ponder include determining the greatest founding father, the biggest presidential campaign flop, and which invention was history’s greatest ‘game changer,’ according to the press release.
Ferguson just became a US citizen in 2008, so his knowledge in American history might well be stronger than the average citizen. And he’s certainly proud to call the US his home. The show’s title comes from Benjamin Franklin’s iconic political cartoon from 1754, which Ferguson had tattooed on his arm to celebrate his citizenship.
“Craig is incredibly knowledgeable, but also has a fun way of getting people engaged in history,” History Channel exec Paul Cabana in a statement. “It’s clear this is his passion project and we’re looking forward to having him join the network.”
Ferguson will exec produce Join or Die with Phil Cottone, Brian Volk-Weiss, and Jim Biederman. The series, which does not yet have a release date, will also have an ‘extensive’ online presence. Ferguson currently hosts Celebrity Name Game, whose second season begins on September 21.