Moments pages are Spoilers Off. You Have Been Warned.
James Corden's Run
- James makes a guest appearance in the touring production of The Phantom of the Opera, believing he's going to play the Phantom himself. Instead, well...
Better still: during the curtain calls, besides just taking his bow with the rest of the male company, he then hammily basks in the applause, pushes in front of the Phantom to bow again, and even takes a selfie with the crowd. Christine's stinkeye makes it even better. - The final show of 2015 features a cold open, where James, dressed as Santa Claus, walks around CBS Television City singing "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" with lyrics rewritten to reflect the fact that it's the final show of the calendar year. He gives out gifts to people who clearly aren't thrilled about getting them. At one point, Santa!James interrupts the taping of a scene of The Bold and the Beautiful, and while singing, hands each of the two actors (in this case, Scott Clifton, who plays Liam Spencer, and Jacqueline MacInnes Wood, who plays Steffy Forrester) a gift, much to their confusion. He then crashes the set of The Price Is Right, where he kisses host Drew Carey on the cheek before hopping into a golf cart and driving away. An enamored Drew calls after him, "I love you, Santa!" Santa!James also walks through The Late Late Show control room, where many people are already passed out from so much drinking; even the Steadicam operator passes out.
- James was hired to be the MC of one of Walmart's shareholder meetings (which are quite an extravagant affair). His hosting devolved into a hilarious roast of Walmart executives, making fun of their names, looks and for marrying into the Walton family. He even insulted the audience multiple times. He ended up hugging one of them awkwardly for 3 minutes and smattering him with kisses. The next executive refused to get within 3 feet of him.
- Two words: Carpool Karaoke. The segment that helped humanize celebrities and made everyone tune in to see who'd jam with James next has no shortage of funny moments:
- The Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas installment, where Nick and Demi shake off their Disney roots in a much funnier way than their contemporaries.Nick: (discussing his brother Joe's song "Cake by the Ocean") It's about sex!
- The Red Hot Chili Peppers installment, which features Anthony Kiedis wrestling James on some random person's front yard (and Flea can't stop laughing) and, later on, Anthony, James, and Flea go shirtless.
- Right after "Can't Stop," Flea and James spontaneously break out into a rendition of "Food, Glorious Food."
- Adele rapping Nicki Minaj's verse in "Monster"!
- Elton John's ride, which involves costumes.
- James's debating with Stevie Wonder about who's going to drive.
- The epic Chris Martin installment, which culminates in them singing the "whoa-oa-oa-oa"s from "Viva la Vida" while biking to the Super Bowl.
- The Broadway edition, with Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Audra McDonald, and Jane Krakowski. They all "awww" when "Seasons of Love" comes on (which James calls "The most Broadway response to the opening of song ever"), and Ferguson takes Marius's friendzoning of Eponine to another level.
- Selena Gomez convinces him to take a detour and ride a rollercoaster. Watching James corpse while attempting to sing "Come and Get It" on the coaster is pretty funny (especially since Selena is relatively chill).
- Lady Gaga's appearance has her take over the car after asserting her confidence in her recently-obtained driver's license (and her demonstration of New York driving signals), only for things to be a little rocky resulting in James demanding control of the car, and James tries on a few of Gaga's looks, such as the Brit Awards wig, the meat outfit, and the caution tape.
- When James and Justin Bieber (taking his second spin in the car) exit a store after shopping for clothes, they're surrounded by paparazzi and fans. Naturally, having respect for his desire to maintain a level of privacy when surrounded by the press, Justin hides James under his arm as they make their way back to the car.Justin: (to the paparazzi) He lives his life in a fishbowl, man!
- Madonna conversing with James with the basics of being her bitch (as opposed to her butler). Just the fact that they sound so methodical about it...
- At the beginning of the Sia segment, James finds her — wearing her trademark wig — stumbling aimlessly around a sidewalk, then requiring almost a minute of help getting into the car. The joke being that James has asked her if she can help him get to work.Sia: Oh course, I'd love to! I'm really good at directions.
- Also, while discussing why she started covering her face around cameras, it ends with James asking her if it was a problem with record companies or PR people:James: Was that even insulting? Were people like: "Yes! Don't show YOUR face! YES!"[Sia laughs]James: I would be distraught if someone said: "I'll tell you how we can make you a star, James: cover that up."
- The Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas installment, where Nick and Demi shake off their Disney roots in a much funnier way than their contemporaries.
- The Tonys bit about nominees that starred in Law & Order.
- "Spill Your Guts or Fill Your Guts" with Christina Applegate and Mila Kunis. Come her second turn, Kunis is given a choice between eating a cow's tongue or trying to explain the plot of Jupiter Ascending (and, for that matter, why she took the job). She chooses to eat the cow tongue when she finds that even she can't figure it out, to the horror of James and vegetarian Applegate.Mila: It has to do with...the human desire for...Aw, fuck it. (eats the tongue).
- Adding to the funniness is that Kunis is not all that freaked out by the odd foods (that is, until James eats the calf brains) while Applegate is trying her damnedest not to vomit the whole time.
- Jimmy Kimmel played the game as well. He asks James if he really was as miserable as he looked during Britney Spears' Carpool Karaoke installment. James insists he had a great time, but Jimmy notices he's sweating profusely.Jimmy: Why are you sweating when you say this?...I like to see what a person looks like when they lie, like, right on camera.
- James is stunned when one of the questions for Khloe Kardashian is whether or not she believes OJ did it. She eats the frog eyeball.
- This installment with Rachel Bloom, Josh Gad, Michelle Dockery, and Charlie Puth has this little gem:James: Earlier, in the green room, you were telling Michelle how much you loved her work on Downton Abbey-
Rachel: Fuck you!
James: What is the name of Michelle's character on Downton Abbey? - The same installment has a sudden turn to the Heartwarming when James is asked to name three of Charlie Puth's songs, and he can't do it, much to Charlie's consternation:James: What did you expect? I'm a 39-year-old father of two...
Charlie: Yeah, but you're cool!
James: Awww...(kisses Charlie) - Steven Tyler turned up for the segment, and it's remarkable how nonchalant he reveals the answers...(on being asked how much he spent on drugs)
Steven: About $2 million. Easy. I snorted half of Peru.
(on being asked if he ever hit on Liv Tyler's friends)
Steven: Well yes, I have. (goes on to reveal it was Cameron Diaz).- In fact, the only time he "filled his guts" was when he was asked to "rank the band members" of Aerosmith by talent:
- The installment with Chelsea Handler is both hilarious and awesome, because of how it essentially backfired: Chelsea isn't ashamed to talk about anything.
- When Harry Styles filled in, he did the segment with Kendall Jenner. In the last question, Kendall asked Harry to rank all of his former band member's solo project, but before she even finished the question, he immediately bites into the giant water scorpion.
- James poses as a choreographer for Dancing with the Stars. If you've seen any of James' other filmed segments, you have a pretty good idea of how this turns out.Len Goodman: He can't dance. He can't choreograph. It's a joke.
- Basically any installment (or lack thereof) of "Celebrity Noses."
- "Police Stakeout" with Mel Brooks. It's funny enough as it is (a Your Show of Shows-ish sketch about two cops who are so caught up in their conversation they miss the bank heist going on right behind them), but what makes it funnier is Brooks' constant Breaking the Fourth Wall, from his entrance (popping up from under the car seat to applause, which he breaks character to acknowledge), to a comment after he fakes a light punch on James ("I didn't hit him that hard"), to eventually telling James outright that the sketch makes no sense (to which James responds that he doesn't know what he's talking about).
- Eddie Redmayne's reaction when James shows a clip of him singing "Memory" from their high school days. His face goes crimson in seconds.
- James learned Donald Trump has an aide give him a portfolio filled with nothing but good news about him just to get through each day. "Boy, it must suck to be the intern who has to copy the entire Fox News website." There's also the name for it, the "Propaganda Document", which was evidently better than the original name for it, the "Bullshit Binder".
- Three words: Crosswalk the Musical.
- The Lion King with Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen:Corden: Seth, you'll be playing scenery. Trees, birds, rocks, stuff like that.
- And also,Seth: I assume even if you have theatrical experience this is not what you're going for (regarding performing live in front of people wanting to drive across the road)
- And also,
- Beauty and the Beast with the cast of Beauty and the BeastJosh: It did seem like a bit of waste of time but you know what, I'm still going to enjoy it.
- Also,Seth: Why perform in front of a live audience when you can perform in front of half a dozen Lyft and Uber drivers?
- Also,
- Nearly everything when they did Frozen, including some drivers a bit confused and/or annoyed at the spectacle (Esp. that Elsa!Idina Menzel stepped up on the hood of a car with said car's driver going "Great. just great."). See it here.
- The Lion King with Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen:
- James invites The Slow Mo Guys to demonstrate a few of their classic subjects...one of which is a dodgeball to his face.
- May 3, 2018: Corden deals with an audience member who repeatedly insists that he is actually on The Price Is Right.
- October 2, 2018: Corden and Eric Idle sing a new cover of "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life,": "We are probably all going to die." *happy whistling* A tap-dancing Van Gogh and Elvis also join them!
- July 29, 2019: Think that Corden and Jeff Goldblum couldn't come up with a worthy successor to "thank u, jeff" (see the Heartwarming page)? Think again: They tear into each other in "Drop the Mic"! Sample disses:Corden: And your role in the movie Thor?
You should be ashamed
You're the only Marvel character
NOT in Endgame!
Goldblum: (later, finishing the battle) Gavin & Stacey's back
Just so fans can view it
As a Christmas special —
Well, thank God I'm Jewish!
I'm done with ya, James
What more can I say?
Hey, I just killed an alien --
Hey, THAT'S an Independence Day! - During the November 7, 2019, we have guest appearances from Big Bird, Elmo, Abby, Cookie Monster, Grover, Bert, Oscar, and The Count for the 50th anniversary, singing a parody of the theme song. They try to get to the show on time, when we get a plethora of funny moments:
- It starts with Big Bird singing how everyone is asleep at 12:30am, and then Grover wakes up a security guard .
- On the set of a game, Abby and The Count guess that a banjo is worth $4.99, only for Oscar to gleefully remove the price tag to reveal $260.
- Elmo and Bert accidentally wander onto the set of another TV show.
- When they finally meet James Corden, Abby mentions how she likes the show, and The Count says there are 2 "lates" in the title. Oscar then says he's been doing this all day in a very annoyed voice.
- Cookie Monster happily eats a cookie from him.
- On November 3, 2020, the last show before the 2020 US Presidential election, James rattled through a hilarious, razor-sharp summary of the previous four years of the Trump presidency, with each line accompanied by a photo or video clip:[2017]
Trump's inauguration crowds were super small, women marched on the National Mall
He signed a hateful Muslim ban, and failed to pass his healthcare plan
The wall that he promised never got done, but at least he found time to stare at the Sun
He threw paper towels like a QB, but threw a huge fit when Kaep took a knee
Alternative facts were the new way to lie, put his hand on an orb and... no-one knows why
Michael Flynn made a guilty plea, Donald Jr. sat on a tree
Ivanka and Jared played pretend, what was Omarosa's job again?
Sean Spicer was fired, Scaramucci was hired, Reince Priebus retired, Scaramucci was fired
James Comey was canned, but saved the receipts, we're still unpacking the "covfefe" tweet
Donald's love for Putin couldn't be more sincere, believe it or not, that was just his first year! [waves his arms to clear the photos] Yah!
[2018]
Trump got a visit from Kanye West, Melania told us all to "Be Best"
Her husband called Haiti a [bleep]hole country, only her jacket could say it more bluntly
New tell-all books were riddled with scandals, like the time he got spanked by Stormy Daniels
Michael Cohen got caught with money to hush, while Trump went to see his new dictator crush
Paul Manafort was found guilty of fraud, for some reason teens were eating Tide podsnote
John Kelly and Sessions left that year, Brett Kavanaugh told us that he loves beer
Dems took the House in a midterm blue wave, a depressed Ted Cruz refused to shave
Halfway through his term, the White House is all drama, Americans spoke and said "We miss Obama!" [waves his arms to clear the photos again] Agh!
[2019]
The government shutdown lasted thirty-five days, Trump's approval numbers went down in a blaze
A Sharpie was used on a hurricane map, Pelosi whipped out her sarcastic clap
He got in a feud with women's soccer, insulted the Squad, he's racist, big shocker!
Spent five million bucks on his Fourth of July, once called Jeffrey Epstein a "terrific guy"
The Mueller Report found no-one to blame, Trump was impeached for a call with Ukraine
He still insists there was no quid pro quo, Congress was like "Mm, wasn't there, though?"
He covered the tables with Big Macs, tweeted "FAKE NEWS!" in ALL CAPS
Issued a trans military ban, for climate change there's still no plan
Over two hundred days spent on the golf course, with nothing to show but a useless Space Force! [waves his arms to clear the photos again] Yagh!
[2020]
The impeachment trial was a Hail Mary - wait, wait, was this- that- this that January!?note
Trump downplayed the virus, said it'd go away, faster than Toobin's Zoom display
No masks at his rallies throughout the campaign, were people kept safe? Ask Herman Cain
Trump got sick and doctors lied so he could go on a deadly joyride
Amy Coney Barrett was pushed through, Melania said she hates Christmas too
Rose Garden event had a superspread, VP Mike Pence had a fly on his head
On a second stimulus, no-one can agree, aside from "Person, woman, man, camera, TV"
Trump stru- Trump struggled to go down a ramp and everyone is buying stamps
Anthony Fauci disappeared, Trump sure holds a Bible weird
It's been four years, but it's felt like ten, so is America great again?
Kids in school are still afraid, Donald's taxes went unpaid
Migrant families were destroyed, millions are still unemployed
Things are- will get better, but it's not a given, so think about the country that you want to live in
And if looking at polls makes you break out into hives, then vote tomorrow, and we can move on with our lives! [waves his arms to clear the photos one last time] YAGH! - The entire Prince Harry segment. Paired with "Awesome" as Corden kept it a secret until it aired, and "Heartwarming" as the interview portion revealed some honest revelations about his decision to step back from royal duties.
- The final attempt at Celebrity Noses before the series finale: Corden almost gets to do it, only to learn that The Talk had stolen the segment and successfully played it that very morning. To make matters worse, Corden accidentally hits a button he said he was going to hit for a surprise at the end of the game, resulting in a contrarily energetic Dance Party Ending with can-can music and a bunch of dancers in giant nose costumes.Producer: It was huge. Ratings. Smash.
