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James Corden is a song-and-dance man.
We talked with Corden about the history of the segment and the future of his hosting career.
Read a short excerpt from the conversation or listen below.
Download the episode fromApple Podcasts,Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
My thing was, I dont want to make a talk show.
I want to make a variety show that can be chopped up and spread and shared on the internet.
I just wanted a new outlook, really.
Night one, we did this thing called Role Call where we did all of Tom Hankss movies.
Night two, we did a Carpool Karaoke with Mariah Carey.
Night three, we did a sketch of Will Ferrell or something.
And wed certainly shot Crosswalk the Musical then.
Ian Karmel is the writer who came up with the idea for Crosswalk the Musical.
And immediately we were like, Thats a great idea.
We loved the silliness of it, the ambition of it.
With the ego and the shouting, we were like,This could really work.
Its both sketch and stunt.
It felt like an original idea.
Thats what youre searching for.
I did get told off for jumping on someones car on my knees.
I say, You gotta ignore your weaknesses.
I dont think anybody watching our show would ever think that we dont have a point of view.
We just dont want it to be all well ever talk about.
I dont know that thats what people want from me.
I dont think Ive earned the right.
Were also very conscious of the fact that we follow Stephens show.
There is nobody really better to talk with an insightful manner.
So it would be foolish to then come out and go, I know youve heard that.
Let me tell you what I think.
Its a strange one and people get very, very angry about it.
But I think theyre just angry anyway.
If its just monologue, desk bit, chat, chat, music, good night.
Thats when Im most down about the show.
I dont think its what I was brought here to do.
A good show is one where I feel like, Well, there was effort in that.
There was ambition in that.
We really, really tried to put on a show.
But I think people at home respond to effort and a desire to entertain.
Thats what we wanna do.
Oddly, the drive home from those good shows is the bleakest.
Because you just go, Well, its gone now.
How are we gonna beat that tomorrow?
Most award shows are groups of millionaires giving each other gold statues.
And these incredibly gifted people perform excerpts from these shows in your living room.
And for a host, its one that allows you to do a big opening.
It is the most warm environment, a room of people who are rooting for you.
No ones like, Ha, lets see what hes got.
You are four years into a five-year contract.
Would you re-sign if they asked you to?They asked a while ago.
And Im very grateful.
I love doing the show so much that I imagine Ill stay for a touch more.
But, at the same time, we have to see, you know?
I dont want it to ever become just a thing that I do.
I can see how I could quite easily slip toward that if not engaged creatively.
What you mustnt do is get used to money because that can be quite dangerous.
Youve got to have an ego the size of a bus, you know?
And thats gonna take a bit to work on.
That is the trick.
