Join or Die with Craig Ferguson - Season 1 Episode 5

On the topic of History's Worst Tyrant, the six people up for consideration between Craig and the panelists – Professor Laila Lalami, comedian Dan Levy and actor Julie Bowen – are: Adolf Hitler; Pol Pot; Muammar Gaddafi; Genghis Khan; Jong-Il Kim; and Mary I of England also known as Bloody Mary. Before the discussion, Craig explains why Joseph Stalin, arguably the worst, is not on the list, and the inevitability of Hitler being chosen the worst by the end of this discussion. Beyond what each tyrant did and what he/she would have done if given the opportunity such as wipe an entire group off the face of the earth, the panelists look at the geopolitical situation that led to them being able to do what they did, and if they should be given some deductions from being the worst if the world fostered that geopolitical situation. Similarly, they discuss if what led out of their tyranny had some unplanned positivity should also be in their favor as not being the worst. They also discuss whether Mary, the only woman on the list, should be judged differently solely because of her gender, and the extra obstacles women have had in history in becoming leaders. Beyond Stalin, they also mention tyrants that did not make the list but perhaps should have. In the end, Craig reveals if the inevitability he states at the beginning comes to fruition. Their discussion closes with how what these tyrants did compare to what is happening in the world today, and the rise of modern day tyrants and tyrannical ideologies.