Craig Ferguson: American on Purpose — Season 1
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of answers.
About this season
Craig Ferguson travel coast-to-coast to explore the defining ideas, and contradictions, at the heart of the United States. Guided by his distinct humor and point of view, Ferguson examines the country's founding ideals while reflecting on his own experience becoming an American citizen. Along the way, he visits iconic locations and unexpected corners of the country and encounters a wide range of voices from comedians and entrepreneurs to historians and everyday Americans.
Episodes (5)
1. Becoming American
Aired 30 May 2026 • 43 min
Since boyhood in Scotland, Craig dreamed of becoming American; two decades after becoming a citizen, he meets with fellow immigrants and naturalized citizens KT Tunstall and Salman Rushdie to explore how dreams like theirs shape our nation.
2. Capitalism
Aired 6 June 2026 • 43 min
Craig explores our capitalist system as he ventures into the economic wilderness to launch his own business, asking if it drives the American dream today; actor Tiffany Haddish, entrepreneur Daymond John and influencer Vivian Tu weigh in.
3. The First Amendment
Aired 13 June 2026 • 43 min
As a comedian and an American, Craig defends the first amendment every day; he speaks with a comic, a cartoonist, two Founding Fathers and a free-speech absolutist to explore the intent, limits and threats to this sacred freedom.
4. Individualism
Aired 20 June 2026 • 43 min
America celebrates itself as the birthplace of the individual, the rugged pioneer, the lone wolf; from Jay Leno's garage to the Everglades, Craig explores how this idea shapes our nation and asks if we are truly a country of individuals.
5. Patriotism
Aired 27 June 2026 • 43 min
Craig speaks with fellow Americans, including Jason Biggs and a veteran who stormed Omaha Beach in Normandy, to unpack how we express patriotism; he discusses what it means and who gets to claim it.