He turned in his car keys for the final time last week, exchanging them for a flight across the pond and back to the United Kingdom.James Corden, the host of CBS’The Late Late Showsince 2015, has called it quits to return to his native England and spend more time with his extended family. Although Corden is the fourth host to sit behind the desk of the after hours entertainment program since its debut in 1995, he’s arguably the most memorable of all the show’s moderators. Following in the footsteps ofDavid Letterman, who re-imagined night owl broadcasting with his slightly off-center perspective and hilariously odd segments likeStupid Pet TricksandStupid Human Tricks, Corden brought more than just commentary and comedy to night owl broadcasting, infusing his show with Broadway-style razzle and dazzle that showcased his musical performance talents.
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But it’s Corden’s brilliantly inspiredCarpool Karaokepieces that not only set him apart from his peers, but that also breathed new life into late night television and allowed evening talk shows to offer more than just the standard celebrity question and answer platform. Corden’s ride-alongs with some of pop music’s most popular voices became must-see television and garneredimpressive ratings forThe Late Late Show. The segments were so beloved, in fact, that Corden and his fellow late night hosts,in a sketch that aired on Corden’s final broadcast, jockeyed to be the first to take them over following Corden’s departure.
A Simple Concept That Became a Phenomenon
Corden’sCarpool Karaokehad its genesis in 2011, whenCorden filmed a piece for Britain’sComedy Reliefthat featured him driving with a poutingGeorge Michael. In an effort cheer up the Wham! star, Corden turns on the radio to “I’m Your Man,” and the two begin singing the tune together, turning Michael’s frown upside down. In 2015, Corden harnessed that skit’s concept, branded it asCarpool Karaoke, anddebuted it on his talk show with one of the music world’s biggest sensations,Mariah Carey. The bit was a huge success,harnessing over 36 million YouTube views. “I was like, ‘this is bulletproof, this will work as a segment, I know it will,'” Corden said, and a late night TV phenomenon was born. Its popularity can be attributed to a number of factors. First, it took a simple concept that virtually everyone can identify with. One would be hard-pressed to find an individual who hasn’t cranked up the volume on the car radio and sung along to their favorite tunes, whether it be on a multi-day road trip or on a short jaunt to the grocery store. Second, it was both a playful poke at and celebration of celebrity narcissism. Nothing says “self-importance” more than singers serenading themselves, and Corden was a master at spotlighting the egomania of it all without making it mean-spirited. Third, it made our musical idols more identifiable. There’s something charming and captivating about seeing stars doing exactly what we do as we tool down the road, and watchingLady Gagasing along with Corden to her own hits gave her a sense of accessibility and “realness.” Finally, Carpool Karaoke tapped into that part of us that finds joy in dropping our guards, letting go, and indulging in the blissful comfort food of music.
Corden Used the Format to Get the Biggest Names to Open Up
Carpool Karaokewas also an ingenious spin on the celebrity interview format. Instead of bringing guests out onto the couch, Corden brought them into an automobile, and the stars were more than eager to participate, because it gave them a chance to send up their own images a bit and play along with the silliness. In every segment, a harried Corden would thank an unidentified person for agreeing to join him on his ride to work to help beat the traffic. It wasn’t until the camera moved to the car’s passenger side that the celebrity guest would be revealed, and the bigger the star, the bigger the excitement. In addition to the festive crooning that would ensue, Corden and his A-list passengers would engage in a bit of light-hearted banter, giving viewers a window into each celebrity’s personality and sense of humor. Whether it wasAdelediscussing with Corden how she should style her hair orJennifer Lopezcontemplating whether she should insure her butt with Lloyd’s of London as she and Corden traveled Hollywood’s side streets,Carpool Karaokegave audiences a chance to play “fly on the inside of the windshield” and enjoy the impromptu spontaneity of it all.
Corden knew when to shake up the concept a bit, too, depending on which top celebrity he managed to get to join him.In one ofCarpool Karaoke’s most memorable episodes, a dejected Corden looks at a “boot” that’s been placed on his car tire for unpaid parking tickets. Pulling out his mobile phone, he makes a call. “Hey, mate. Listen, I’m in a real bind here. Is there any way you’re able to help me?” Seconds later, a white SUV rolls up, Corden jumps in the passenger side, and the driver is revealed —Barbra Streisand. Corden knew the only way he was going to get the Diva of All Divas to participate was to put her in the driver’s seat. Taking full advantage of her industry reputation as a control freak, Streisand initially protests when Corden asks if he can turn on the radio. She eventually relents, and the two break into a duet of “No More Tears (Enough is Enough),” with Corden belting out theDonna Summerpart. But the best part of the entire piece is the conversation between Streisand and Corden. He manages to get the legendary icon to remove her standoffish façade, and the two engage in banter like a couple of friends who’ve known each other since childhood, something that probably would never have happened in a formal studio environment.
Interestingly, Corden’s biggest “get” for his automobile singalongs wasn’t a musical star at all. When he pulled up tothe White House gates andMichelle Obamajumped in,Carpool Karaokewent to another level. The First Lady of the United States jamming with Corden toStevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” became a defining pop culture moment, and Mrs. Obama’s disclosure that her ride with Corden was the first time in seven and a half years that she had been in the passenger’s seat of a car singing along to the radio was especially poignant. This was just one of the timesCarpool Karaokedemonstrated how powerful the intimate confines of the automobile can be when it comes to getting even the most powerful people to open up and reveal themselves.
Other Talk Show Hosts Built on Corden’s Concept
WithCarpool Karaokeredefining the celebrity interview format, it wasn’t long before other talk show hosts started looking for ways to add their own spins to the gimmick.Ellen DeGeneresbegan bringing stars on her show to play games likeBurning Questions, where the biggest of Tinseltown’s biggest would sit in chairs in front of a background of cartoon flames and hit a buzzer to answer questions like “What do you sleep in?” and “What’s the most surprising thing you did to make money before becoming famous?“Stephen Colberttook a similar approach withBig Questions with Even Bigger Starson hisLate Show, lying on a blanket under studio-crafted night skies with celebrities and asking them questions like, “What do you want written on your tombstone?” and “Do you think anyone can ever truly know themselves?” LikeCarpool Karaoke, these pieces were designed to take Hollywood’s biggest names out of their typical talk show surroundings and get them to reveal themselves within the safe guidelines of a comic set-up. OnThe Tonight Show,Jimmy Fallontook full advantage of the new path forged by Corden, initiating pieces likeBox of Lies, where the stars describe (or lie about) an object they pull out of a box, andEw!, where big names dress up like teenage girls and gossip. It was with hisLip Sync BattleandPasswordsegments, however, that Fallon began to blur the lines between celebrity chat and game show performance. While it’s entertaining to watch the stars cavort and show off their silly sides, these segments don’t really give audiences any insight into what makes their favorite performers tick, nor do they provide anything that would make viewers want to learn more about the people featured on Fallon’s show.
A Simple Idea That Made a Huge Impact on Late Night TV
As silly asCarpool Karaokecould sometimes be, Corden was always able to give audiences a glimpse into the featured celebrity’s personality, and audiences always learned a little something about their favorite stars that they hadn’t previously known. WithoutCarpool Karaoke, would anyone know aboutCeline Dion’s shoe warehouseorlearn that Bruno Mars wears hats to cover up his unruly hair?Adelejoined Corden for hisfinalCarpool Karaokesegment, this time taking the wheel in Barbra Streisand style and waxing nostalgic about Corden’s eight-yearLate Late Showjourney. For this drive, it was Adele prompting Corden to share his favorite stories, like getting to drive around with Stevie Wonder and getting to pull a prank onDavid Beckham. The pair ended their ride with a duet of Adele’s “Hometown Journey,” an appropriate finale to the 67 automobile adventures Corden invited audiences to take along with him. Regardless of what path Corden forges next, there’s no doubtCarpool Karaokehas made a positive, groundbreaking impact on late night talk TV, and Corden is sure to remain one of the genre’s most important “driving” forces.
