Grammy-winning diva Lizzo rattled her seat belt before a Carpool Karaoke session, reminding us why front seat sing-along became such a viral phenomenon. While she and Corden released a medley of her hits — and one of her idol Beyoncé’s — Lizzo worked like a pro in front of the camera. She danced on the chair, played the flute, took her thong from a sore spot, and made fun of her own tendency to flash the flesh. The charismatic hip-hop queen from Houston and the refreshingly down-to-earth Eilish made for a winning duo.
Actor David Harbor also came by. Conveniently, he’s currently starring in a West End play less than a mile away. He discussed meeting his wife Lily Allen via a dating app, shot He-Man’s Skeletor and teased the “insane” conclusion to the final season of Stranger Things, which premieres on Netflix this Friday. Nice enough, but he had to settle for the third bill behind the girls.
The sound was a bit echo-like, but that’s a pitfall when transporting a production of this magnitude across the Atlantic to an Art Deco temple. Corden’s accent drifted back and forth across the pond, which is also an occupational hazard. The continuous cancellation of commercial breaks in the US gave the proceedings a stop-start feeling. Musical maestro Reggie Watts’ band was dressed in Sergeant Pepper suits. In American eyes, Liverpool and London are clearly interchangeable.
This was a slick operation, combining eccentric British humor with big-budget American polish. So why is Corden more valued in America than here at home? Is he too multi-talented, too well-connected and too content with himself? Is there a feeling he should know his place, probably playing the hefty sidekick in British comedies, rather than having the recklessness to take Tinseltown by storm? Is he overexposed and does he want to be liked? Is it sizeism, snobbery or a resistance to success?
In addition to a man named Biden, his guests for the next three nights will include singers Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith, and actors John Boyega, Minnie Driver, Tess Thompson, Vin Diesel and Jamie Dornan. It’s a lineup that would make homegrown chat show hosts jealous. Perhaps that’s why James Corden is criticized so much: out of jealousy. That or the fact that his middle name is Kimberley.
The Late Late Show with James Corden airs at 10 p.m. through Friday on Sky Comedy and streaming service NOW.