Craig Ferguson Was Third Choice For White House Correspondents' Dinner Host -- Who Couldn't Do It?

By: Joe Strupp Late night TV host Craig Ferguson was not the first choice to host this year's White House Correspondents Association dinner. But WHCA President Ann Compton, who picked Ferguson, still expects his appearance to bring a fresh take on issues to Washington's top politicians and press.

"I picked him because he is somebody sort of outside the system," says Compton, who spoke Wednesday from a train that was taking her back to D.C. after a week of covering Hillary Clinton. "I had been Tivoing him for months. There is something younger and fresher about him."

Compton said she first offered the hosting job to Ellen DeGeneres, and later Steve Carrell, but neither could make it due to scheduling. "Ellen DeGeneres considered it, but the problem was the date; her show is traveling that week," Compton says. "Carrell is shooting a movie between now and April."

Compton said Ferguson was a great choice as a lesser-known entertainer who has an edgy, fresh view, but who has not been seen by many people. She also points to two interesting aspects of his life that might make for a different dinner-time presentation.

As a recently sworn-in U.S. citizen, Compton believes Ferguson, a native of Scotland, could bring an outside take to U.S. politics and media. "Who needs to hear from a bunch of people who have been poking fun at politicians?" she says. "Who else but a first-time uncommitted voter can bring in a fresh approach?"

Compton also noted that Ferguson is a recovering alcoholic who is very open about it, giving him and President Bush, who has spoken about his own past addictions, something in common. "His most celebrated monologue was a year ago when he talked about what he went through and why he would not make jokes about Britany Spears," Compton says. "It is a very compelling story. He has been sober for 16 years now."

In recent years, the choice of entertainment for the WHCA dinner has drawn as much attention as the celebrity guests who now attend. Two years ago, Stephen Colbert got mixed reviews for a stinging routine that offered harsh humor toward both Bush and the press. Last year, Rich Little pretty much bombed with a bad hair dye job and a string of old, Vegas-style nightclub jokes laced with profanity.

Compton said she was aware of the scrutiny that her entertainer would receive, but did not let it worry her. She also did not ask anyone to keep from crossing any line. "I don?t look at the line, I am looking for somebody who will bring something fresh," she says. "He understands that a dinner like this is fun, it's a good time, it's a romp." Compton, whose family also hails from Scotland, admits, "I am a sucker for his Scottish accent."