05.19.09 BRITNEY SPEARS + CRAIG FERGUSON + PUPPETS =

Even though I’m not entirely comfortable hearing a Scottish accent late at night, I definitely approve of Craig Ferguson’s cold openings on “The Late Late Show.”  And just as I liked Ferguson lip-syncing with puppets to Spearhead, so to do I like him doing Britney Spears’s “Oops… I Did It Again.”  Granted, conventional wisdom says that the song is so played-out that even spoofs of it are played out, but that was BEFORE there were shark puppets wearing gold chains involved.

Also, for the record, I feel it’s important to note that I’m getting over my Scottish xenophobia.  Last week, I saw a re-run of Ewan McGregor’s appearance on the show, and it was damn funny.  I’m required to like any host who calls his audience “filthy donkeys” and “bastards.”  It makes me feel like I’m at home.

(Elsewhere in late-night videos: check out Conan’s newest “Tonight Show” web video)