James Corden already shared his thoughts about the passing of George Michael over the Christmas holiday but wasn’t finished. On the first Late Late Show after the Christmas hiatus, Corden opened the show by expressing his sorrow at the loss of one of his musical heroes. He discusses how hard the news hit him while enjoying the holidays back in London, saying that he feels like he “loved George Michael almost as long as he’s loved music.” It is sometimes hard to tell what’s real when it comes to late night TV, but this certainly hits the right marks.
After discussing what Michael meant to him for a bit, Corden went on to discuss his desire to do a sketch with Michael for Comic Relief. The pop star agreed after some phone tag, including a 3 am phone call from Australia, and the results laid the groundwork for what would be Carpool Karaoke.
The sketch itself made the rounds in the days after Michael’s passing, but Corden has given it a new national stage in the United States. And it’s really nice, mostly because it is a little different than the Carpool Karaoke we’ve seen since Corden started his show. The little sketch portion and jokes are better than whatever silly conversation Corden is having with Madonna about her career, at least for me. Plus you have to admit, George Michael brings a lot of energy here.
(Via The Late Late Show)
