Craig Ferguson coming to the Van Wezel

Though it's been seven months since he's stepped away from CBS's "The Late Late Show," the program that brought him into the comedic mainstream, Craig Ferguson is far from finished. Ferguson was behind the desk on the Peabody Award-winning and Emmy Award-nominated program "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" for nine years (2005 to 2014). But that much time behind a desk has given the accomplished comedian, author, and game show host (he now hosts "Celebrity Name Game" on CBS) ample inspiration to travel around the country and share his newest comedic observations.

Ferguson will stop by the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall at 8 p.m. on December 1 as a part of his nationwide "The New Deal" tour. Tickets go on sale July 31. During his near decade-long tenure at "The Late Late Show," Ferguson developed into a true Renaissance entertainer delving into television, literature, and comedy. His late night show differed drastically most nights from his peers in the late night talk show circuit. He'd provide often improvised and insightful commentaries on current events and entertainment and not scripted jokes, sketches or games.

Ferguson also wrote and published two books. The first was a novel published in 2006 titled "Between the Bridge and the River" and a memoir in 2009 titled "American on Purpose." In addition, Ferguson has been a stand-up comic for 30 years including his Grammy Award-nominated special "I'm Here to Help." Recently he earned a Daytime Emmy Award for outstanding game show host for his work on "Celebrity Name Game." He's also entered the world of big-budget animation by providing the voice of Gobber the Belch in DreamWorks Animation's "How to Train Your Dragon" franchise.