Toby Keith, Craig Ferguson Discuss First Ever European Tour

Toby Keith appeared on "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" Friday night to promote his new album "American Ride," which was released on October 6. Toby Keith discussed his itinerary, which included Craig Ferguson's native Scotland and tour stops in Afghanistan and Iraq, venues that Keith does annually for the American troops stationed in the Middle East. They even discussed Toby Keith's venture into the bar business.

Craig Ferguson has a meandering style of interviewing that is difficult to write about but very entertaining to watch. He tears up a card for every guest, symbolically tossing out his "pre-written" questions, then plunges headfirst into the interview. A master at extemporaneous comedy, the free flow in the conversation is fun to watch as Ferguson plays off of the responses of his guest.

Toby Keith said he was doing his first ever European tour. Ferguson asked if that was wise. "Are you going to Scotland?" Keith acknowledged he was. Ferguson said, "Uh-oh." But Ferguson went on to reassure him that Scotland would be great, telling Toby that Scotland loved country music.

Craig Ferguson asked about Toby Keith's USO shows for American troops. Seven years and 142 shows, he told Ferguson. He does a two-week tour every year. Keith said that what began as a one-year do-your-duty thing became an every year affair. He loved it. "You get to see some great heroes doing something really wonderful, and they're the best in the world at it. Under the conditions they're under, to do the great job that they do, it's amazing to see."

When he was explaining the tour, he told "The Late Late Show" host that he was in Iraq for a week, Afghanistan for a week. Craig Ferguson deadpanned, "Yeah. Yeah, you'll enjoy Scotland, then."

Switching topics, Craig Ferguson asked Toby Keith about his new bar business, asking him how if he had opened his "I can't believe it's not butter bars". To which a laughing Toby Keith corrected, "I Love This Bar and Grill."

Craig said, "I can't believe it's not butter's the other big, blonde guy." Keith laughed. Craig Ferguson leaned forward, "I just called you Fabio, you didn't hit me, dude. C'mon."

Then they turned the subject again. Ferguson asked if he'd played Thackerville in Oklahoma (Keith is from Oklahoma). Keith asked, "Why did you play Thackerville?" Ferguson said, "Why are you playing Scotland?"

Scotland became the call-back punchline for the 10-minute interview. Before the interview was over, though, Craig Ferguson, was talking seriously of joining Toby Keith on his USO tour, which Keith assured the comedian the troops would love to have him do some shows.

Many of Craig Ferguson's interviews seem far too short. Toby Keith's was one of them. After Craig Ferguson's next guest, he came out and performed "American Ride."

Toby Keith's latest album, "American Ride," debuted this week at #3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. His last album, "35 Biggest Hits," a retrospective of the hits of his career, has been on the Billboard 200 for 75 weeks.

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See the entire interview on YouTube.com.

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Sources:

"The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson," CBS Television
Billboard.com