Why You'll Love James Corden, From a British Person
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James Corden may not be a familiar face in the US yet, but he will be after tonight: starting this week, he's the new host of The Late Late Show. Over at POPSUGAR UK, we've been watching the guy for years. You can't go far in the UK without stumbling across this man, whether he's acting in TV dramas and self-penned comedies or making stage appearances and sci-fi cameos, not to mention his hosting gigs and charity skits. He's a little more loved than other recent British exports (I'm so sorry about Piers Morgan, but please do feel free to keep him). There's a lot to love about Corden, from his memorable role as Smithy to his well-documented obsession with a particular British boy band (no, not that one). So sit back and allow me to introduce you to the English lad who is about to make waves stateside. Source: Getty
He's Not Afraid to Make a Total Fool of Himself
Dancing to Enya on stage with your best mate in front of a few thousand people? Why the hell not?
He Is a Master Lip-Syncher
And he sometimes gets the Great British Public to join in.
He Does an Excellent Ricky Gervais Impression
What could be better than one British comedian making fun of another?
He's a Total Geek
Corden was so loved by cast, crew, and fans of Doctor Who that they bought his character Craig (the Doctor's temporary roommate) back for a second episode in a later series. This video of him and Matt Smith goofing off during filming could explain why they couldn't wait to have him back.
He Can Think on His Feet
Could you write a song in seconds when seated next to Paul McCartney? This man can.
He Has Harry Styles's Phone Number
And he's not afraid to send him stupid text messages for the sake of comedy. Extra points if you sit through this whole video and know who any of the famous Brits mentioned are.
He Brought the World Smithy
Corden is one of the cocreators of the BBC comedy Gavin & Stacy, in which he played the hapless Smithy. One of Smithy's trademarks was his singing; whether it be in the car, down the phone to Gavin, or in the pub. In this clip, Smithy and sister Rudi (played by another big breakout UK star, Sheridan Smith) take on Kanye West's rap from Estelle's "American Boy." This is pure car-crash telly, as we Brits would say.
He Knows David Beckham
Smithy's Comic Relief sketches spanned a few years, each of them getting bigger and more ridiculous. Corden's address book reads like a who's who of British talent, and he's not afraid to call on them for help when raising money for charity!
He's an Unapologetic Fanboy
Corden loves Take That. So much so that he's filmed numerous skits with frontman Gary Barlow and even played him in a sketch for charity night Comic Relief, alongside some other big British comedians. Behold, Fake That! Who needs *NSYNC when you have these guys?
He Still Gets Told Off by His Mom
When Corden suggested to Gordon Ramsay that most of his childhood meals consisted of bad frozen food, his mother was having none of it. "Was he this rude as a child?" asked Ramsay.
He Says What We're All Thinking
Corden is a frequent guest on panel shows in the UK, and he has the ability to make us look at the mundane in a new way.
He's Sporty
Kind of. Corden's hardly an athlete, but he did present sports-quiz show A League of Their Own for years.
He's Got Serious Stage Presence
Literally! Corden is no stranger to the stage. Early in his career he had a role in The History Boys, where he met close friend Dominic Cooper (the two later starred in the film adaptation). More recently, he took One Man, Two Guvnors from London to Broadway, where he snagged himself a Tony Award.
He Could Be in Line For an EGOT
Could Corden be a future member of the EGOT club? He already has a Tony, and his BAFTA-winning history suggests an Emmy and Oscar aren't out of reach, so that just leaves the Grammy. So far, his musical career has consisted of a questionable World Cup Anthem (see video), but stranger things have happened . . . The song did actually get to No. 1 in the UK!
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