He Spins the Web Around Guests

If the talk-show interview is an art, Graham Norton is an abstract expressionist.

One night, Dolly Parton is sitting across from the host of “So Graham Norton,” which airs weeknights at 8 and 11 on BBC America, chatting about a song as she would with Leno or Letterman. But not for long.

Norton turns to the desk behind him, clicks on a Web page of Parton impersonators and asks her to evaluate their appearance. He rings one on the Doggy Phone--a stuffed animal-telephone combination that moves as the call recipient speaks and that on this night is dressed up in a blond wig and falsies--and has the fake Dolly unknowingly evaluate the real one’s accent.

Then out comes the Teddy Phone--you guessed it, a teddy bear--dressed in a gray Kenny Rogers wig and Western wear, and soon a Rogers impersonator is on the line singing a duet with the Parton impersonator, as the singer herself joins in.

Do not adjust your television set. It is just one element of the outrageous, randy series that is a hit on Britain’s Channel 4.

In some respects, the Irish-born Norton isn’t much different from his U.S. predecessors. For one, he mines humorous stories from the studio audience, except here the tales usually focus on sex, preferably involving a public place or costumes.

Norton, however, possesses a style all his own, frequently drawing on his flamboyance and homosexuality for jokes. His guests range from David Hasselhoff and Joan Rivers to Cher, Elton John and Gerard Depardieu. (Tonight’s are Brenda Blethyn and BBC personality Gloria Hunniford.) No matter how big the stars, they must endure Norton’s offbeat Web surfing and phone calls.

As enjoyable as it can be, BBC America has been repeating the half-hour shows so much that what initially comes across as shamefully funny acquires a hollow ring by the second or third viewing. Fortunately, new hourlong episodes will premiere starting Sept. 2.