After six years as a cult favorite on Channel 4 in England (and three years of repeats here on BBC America), starring as titular host of an hilariously risqué sort of audience-participation chat show (talking to the likes of Joan Collins and Sophia Loren) called So Graham Norton, the rude, matter-of-factly gay, fast-talking, overdressed, double-entendre-prone Norton finally has his own stateside show. The Graham Norton Effect premiers tonight on Comedy Central. It promises to be just like his British show, only, um, different, thanks to Janet Jackson.
We like to think – no, we know – that Norton got his start in 1995 on a World of Wonder show on Channel 4 called Takeover TV, in which talented unknown Brits submitted tapes hoping to get them aired on the clip show and eventually “take over TV.” Norton was one of them; his clip aired, and he took. As you can see from the video below, his humor has remained consistent over the years. Urine for a treat.
