One Man, New TV Show: James Corden Takes Over At 'Late Late Night'
A few months ago, Craig Ferguson, host of The Late Late Show, interrogated a special guest: James Corden. When asked what he did for a living, Corden replied demurely, "I don't do anything at the moment."
That is set to change Monday night, when Corden succeeds Ferguson as the host of The Late Late Show.
He is 36 and English. Ferguson is Scottish: Score one for diversity.
Corden has won awards on screen and stage. He starred in the Broadway production of One Man, Two Guvnors, and won a Tony. And he played the best friend of Keira Knightley's character in last year's film Begin Again. But most Americans may know Corden for playing the Baker in the film version of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods.
James Corden has never worked as a talk show host, or a comedian. The topic of late night TV came up when he was in a meeting with American network executives about about a possible sitcom.
"I talked with Leslie Moonves, who's the CEO of CBS," Corden tells NPR's Scott Simon. "And we talked about late night and how I felt it could change, and perhaps be given a breath of fresh air, and then he offered me the job — it was very strange."
Late night TV is a crowded field right now. But Corden says he hopes that coming to the job new might bring in some fresh and untested ideas. "We have got to give it a reason to exist," he says. "It's not enough to rely on fact that there' always been a show. The fact that we're on after a talk show means we have to try and respect and honor the traditions of late night, but in so many ways try and make something that at least feels a little different to the show that's just been on."
Whatever changes he may introduce, the heart of late night remains the interview. Until now, James Corden has always been on the answering end of interviews. But his mother was a social worker, who talked with lots of people.
"I think she would say that being a social worker is more about listening than it is about talking. And I'm sure you agree that's equally as important if you're going to interview people, it's not so much about the question you ask but more about listening to the answer and seeing where it goes after that."
And of course, late night TV is about humor, sometimes a little naughty and pointed. And, with James Corden, British. Craig Ferguson won a devoted audience. Piers Morgan, on CNN, was less successful. Some critics, including Tania Bryer of CNBC, wonder if Corden's British banter might fall flat with an American audience: "The worry is not so much will they understand him in terms of his accent, but it's the humor, will they get the humor?"
Corden himself isn't concerned about humor being lost in translation. "I had never been to New York but I absolutely loved Seinfeld. And I had never been to a bar in America, but I loved Cheers. And I've never been to a hotel in Torquay but I love Fawlty Towers. So of course there are going to be things which I can only really learn by making mistakes in doing them — about colloquialisms, or words in dialogue and things. But I don't know that it will come down to people people understanding my accent or my sense of humor."
If something is good, Corden says, it will travel. He begins his stint on The Late Late Show Monday night — or technically, is that Tuesday morning?
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Transcript
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
A few months ago, Craig Ferguson, host of "The Late Late Show," interrogated a special guest.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THE LATE LATE SHOW")
CRAIG FERGUSON: Please state your name and where you're from.
JAMES CORDEN: My name's James Corden, and I'm from High Wycombe in England, Great Britain.
FERGUSON: James...
CORDEN: Corden.
FERGUSON: Corden, right, yeah.
(LAUGHTER)
FERGUSON: What do you do for a living, James?
CORDEN: I don't do anything at the moment.
(LAUGHTER)
SIMON: That's set to change Monday night when James Corden succeeds Craig Ferguson as host of "The Late Late Show." He is 36 and English. Craig Ferguson was Scottish - score one for diversity. James Corden has won awards on screen and stage. He starred in the Broadway production of "One Man, Two Guvnors" and won a Tony.
(SOUNDBITE OF PLAY, "ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS")
CORDEN: (As Francis Henshall) Who screws it up? You, you're the role model for village idiots everywhere.
SIMON: And he played the best friend of Keira Knightley's character in last year's film "Begin Again." But most Americans may know James Corden for playing the Baker in the film version of Stephen Sondheim's "Into The Woods."
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "INTO THE WOODS")
CORDEN: (As the baker) (Singing) When there's two of you, if I dare, it's because I'm becoming aware of us.
SIMON: James Corden has never worked as a talk show host or a comedian. The topic of late night TV came up when he was in a meeting with American network executives about a possible sitcom.
CORDEN: I talked with Leslie Moonves, who's the CEO of CBS. And we talked about late night and how I felt it could change and perhaps be given a breath of fresh air. And then he offered me the job. It was very strange.
SIMON: Late night TV is a crowded field right now, but James Corden hopes that coming to the job new might bring some fresh and untested ideas to late night entertainment.
CORDEN: We have to give it a reason to exist. It's not enough to just rely on the fact that there's always been a show there. The fact that we're on after a talk show means we have to try and respect and honor the traditions of late night, but in so many ways try and make something that at least feels a little different to the show that's just been on.
SIMON: Whatever changes he may introduce, the heart of late night remains the interview. Until now, James Corden has always been on the answering end of interviews. His mother was a social worker who talked with lots of people.
CORDEN: And I think she would say that being a social worker is more about listening than it is about talking. And I'm sure you'd agree that's equally as important if you're ever going to interview people. It's not so much about the question that you ask but more about listening to the answer and seeing where it goes after that.
SIMON: And, of course, late night TV is about humor, sometimes a little naughty and pointed. This week on the BBC, Tania Bryer of CNBC wondered if James Corden's British banter might fall flat in front of Americans.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
TANIA BRYER: The worry is not so much will they understand him in terms of his accent, but it's the humor, will they get the humor?
SIMON: James Corden isn't concerned about humor being lost in translation from English to American.
CORDEN: I had never been to New York, but I absolutely loved "Seinfeld." And I had never been to a bar in America, but I loved "Cheers." And I've never been to a hotel in Torquay but I love "Fawlty Towers." So of course there are going to be things which I can only really learn by making mistakes in doing them - about colloquialisms or words in dialogue and things. But I don't know that it will come down to people understanding my accent or my sense of humor.
SIMON: If something is good, says James Corden, it'll travel. He begins his stint on "The Late Late Show" Monday night or, technically, is that Tuesday morning? Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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