If Scotland and America go to war, I’m afraid I’ve already sworn in.

Ferguson’s joke plays on his dual identity as a Scottish-born comedian who became an American citizen. The line imagines an absurd geopolitical conflict—Scotland versus the United States—to highlight the emotional and legal bind of divided loyalties. “Already sworn in” refers to the oath of U.S. citizenship, suggesting that, in any clash between birthplace and adopted country, he is formally committed to America even if his affections remain complicated. The humor comes from treating a far-fetched war as a real dilemma, using self-deprecation to explore assimilation, patriotism, and the way citizenship can feel both empowering and constraining.