Late Show UK

Terrorist threats have been made to David Letterman and Craig Ferguson over the past week.

David Letterman was threatened by radical Islamists for a joke he made on the Late Show. The Washington Times reports “David Letterman had a fatwa issued against him by jihadists for having the nerve to make a joke about a jihadist. The edict required that as a Jew, his tongue should be cut out for speaking blasphemy. Mr. Letterman is not Jewish, but Radical Islamists never let facts interfere with fatwas”.

Letterman has beefed up security at the Ed Sullivan Theatre where the Late Show is taped in New York City but has since joked about the threat saying “everybody knows it’s Leno” and did a special segment showing everyone who “hates” Dave. He also said “a radical extremist threatened to cut my tongue out… I wish I had a nickel for every time a guy has threatened… I think the first time was during the Academy Awards”.

Craig Ferguson also had a scare himself this week when an envelope of white powder arrived in the mail at the Late Late Show from overseas. The Los Angeles Times reports “the powder was purported to be anthrax but later proved to be harmless”.

Ferguson joked about his threat saying “In the old days if someone sent me white powder I’d have said ‘Yeah’… I’d have snorted it, ended up at a party at Elton John’s house or rehab or both… but nowadays white powder in the mail is bad… this is the most attention this show has gotten since… this is the most attention this show has gotten”.

The Washington Times – “Radical Islamists target Zionist Infidel David Letterman”
Starpulse.com – “David Letterman Blames Jay Leno For Terrorist Threats”
Los Angeles Times – “Late Night: Craig Ferguson calls anthrax scare frightening”

The final episode of Lopez Tonight aired on TBS last Thursday. TBS have axed the show after almost two years. Eva Longoria, Slash, Ron Artest, Derek Fisher, Russell Peters and Arsenio Hall were guests on the final programme.

Conan O’Brien spoke out about the show’s axing on his own talk show saying “I want to take one second right now and talk about something serious. Today, not long ago – a couple of hours ago – it was announced that TBS is not renewing George Lopez’s show for a third season. I have very strong feelings about this, and I wanted to talk about it. Had it not been for George being so incredibly supportive of me a year and a half ago, I would not have come to TBS and we would not be doing this show right now. I owe that man a lot, and frankly, it makes me very sad that TBS and George could not work this out. I really like being a part of a late-night lineup with George, and I wish that this could’ve continued. So, tonight, all of our thoughts are with George and his entire staff and crew. We understand, believe me, how hard this is for all of you, and we wish you all the best”.

In a similar move to Conan O’Brien when he left The Tonight Show, George Lopez will be going on a US tour “where he says the things TV networks would never let him say” (according to the official Lopez Tonight website). If you’re in the US at some point this year check out the tour dates by clicking here.

Click here for more details on the axing of Lopez Tonight.

Craig Ferguson was a guest on the Late Show this week.

He was promoting the episodes of the Late Late Show that he filmed in France earlier this year.

Those Paris shows will air on CBS next week.

During the Late Show interview Craig and Dave also talked about the London shows Dave did several years ago.

Craig Ferguson discussed the News Corporation phone hacking scandal in one of his opening monologues on the Late Late Show this week. Watch below:

This video has since been removed from the CBS website.

In Britain there’s no escaping the big news story of the moment – the News Of The World phone hacking scandal involving Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation.

The story has gone global and The Daily Show is never one to miss out on a headline like this.

Watch Jon Stewart’s reaction when British Daily Show correspondent John Oliver brought the story to his attention:

George Lopez made his debut interview appearance on the Late Show With David Letterman this week.

The host of TBS’s Lopez Tonight late night talk show (which airs after Conan) stopped by the Late Show to discuss the infamous NBC debacle between Conan O’Brien and Jay Leno over The Tonight Show, and George moving timeslots on TBS to make way for Conan’s current talk show on the cable TV channel, amongst other things.

George Lopez interview:

There was a break-in at the Ed Sullivan Theater over the weekend.

James Whittemore – an aspiring actor from Harlem who performs under his stage name Jimmy Whittemore – broke into the lobby of the theatre building late on Saturday night.

It’s reported he urinated on the antique front doors (dating back to 1924) then smashed his way in through them into the lobby area and trashed everything inside.

DNAinfo.com reports “sources said that he knocked over stanchions, pulled objects from the walls and made his way into an unlocked office. There, he allegedly tossed around phones and printers”.

It’s reported James Whittemore was too drunk to remember what he did.

DNAinfo.com reports he’s “charged with third-degree burglary, a felony, and criminal mischief, is due back in court on Friday” for the offence. The website also has photos from the scene of the crime.

Letterman mentioned the break-in several times on the show last night and started his monologue with “How’d you folks get in?”, joked “I’m told now that Jay has an alibi” and made reference to Charlie Sheen. Dave also had “actual” surveillance footage from the Ed Sullivan Theater lobby showing the break-in featuring somebody familiar. A special Top Ten list was aired called “Top Ten Excuses of the Guy Who Broke Into the Ed Sullivan Theater”.

Monday’s monologue:

Top Ten:

DNAinfo.com – “Ed Sullivan Theater Burglarized by Harlem Singer, Cops Say”
DNAinfo.com – “Accused David Letterman Theater Vandal Arraigned”
New York Post – “Dave’s vandal a wreck”

The final episode of Oprah Winfrey’s talk show aired earlier this month.

Dave presented a special Top Ten list to mark the occasion: