A technique to create a joke made prominent by late-night talkshow host Craig Ferguson. The audience is led to believe that he is
talking about a certian topic. The joke is delivered by Craig clarifying that he was, in
fact,
talking about something else.
Fergism 1 (confusing two topics): "The Eiffel Tower and Margaret Thatcher are very different, of course. One's had thousands of men climbing
all over it since the 1800s, and the other one is the Eiffel Tower."
Fergism 2 (twisting the meaning of an expression or sentence): "My first guest tonight (...) is the first comedian to perform a solo show at the (
Hollywood) Bowl, you know, doing comedy. I did a solo piece at the Bowl myself, but it was in the audience."
Fergism 3 (changing to a sex-related topic): "My first concern, of course, was for my staff, and by staff I
mean penis."
