'Carpool Karaoke' is a recurring and very entertaining segment on The Late Late Show created by British comedian/actor James Corden. It is a whimsical display of singers strutting their stuff in a car driven by Corden—allegedly braving the freeway to get to work. Adele, Celine Dion, Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, Madonna, Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, and Harry Styles, to name just a few, have sat in the passenger seat of this well-received skit. Come on, now. It doesn't get bigger or better than this!

The January 2016 Carpool Karaoke segment with Adele got 42 million YouTube hits in five days, making it the most popular video from a late-night program since 2013. By June of 2019, it had gathered a staggering 199.5 million views. Former First Lady Michelle Obama even joined rapper Missy Elliot in Carpool Karaoke in 2016.

Corden comes from the London stage. He is lovable and witty-- with a 'Pillsbury Dough Boy' persona. You just want to hug him. He's a goofy and likable guy. I love his British accent. It’s not the ‘upscale’ type of dialect; more working-class-- Cockney. However, I just learned that the voice you hear on the air is not that of Corden himself. It is actually actor Jim Parsons doing a British accent that's dubbed into the show. Who knew?! Corden turns 41 on August 22 and has been renewed by CBS through 2022.

 

Late Night with Stephen Colbert, the highest-rated late-night show, precedes Corden, at 11:35 pm with Corden's program airing at 12:35 am. I have always enjoyed Colbert's intellect and political commentary. But the slapstick comedy of Corden appeals to me too, along with his musicality. And the Late Late Show Band is top-notch-- led by Band Leader Reggie Watts, bass player Hagar Ben-Ari, and the only female member of the house band 'Karen.'

In spite of all the talent and array of popular guests, ratings are on the low side. Still, more people are tuned into The Late Late Show with James Corden than Late Night with Seth Meyers in the same time slot.

The head honchos at CBS want to keep Corden at the helm even though he's not dominating ratings. The Chief Creative Officer for CBS David Nevins said in a New York Times article, Corden “created a cutting-edge comedy factory with shows that have resonated across multiple platforms. James and his shows are a great source of pride to CBS and it’s exciting to extend our relationship well into the future.”

I think Nevins has it right: give Corden more time to work his magic and win over the American public. He is up for 7 Emmy Awards, and the execs are putting their money where their mouths are. Corden will make over 5 million dollars over the next three years. Not shabby for a working-class kid.