“Believe me, however shocked you are that I am standing here doing this job, you will never be as shocked as I am,” quipped James Corden as he made his debut as host of the Late Late Show on Monday.
And the British star – largely unknown in the US before being announced as host of the late night CBS chatshow – may also have shocked those who doubted his ability to pull it off, as audiences and critics warmed to his performance.
“He’s a very funny guy and an especially likeable guy – and I think that’s sort of the the key,” former Tonight Show host Jay Leno told Radio 4 after the broadcast, explaining the Gavin and Stacey actor’s appeal. “I think the era of ironic snarkiness and sarcastic-ness is over in America. It’s just nice to see a person who you really like and would like to know as a friend.”
Leno was one of an army of celebrities who appeared in sketches on the show, dusting Corden, and his relative obscurity, with A-list sparkle. Eddie Redmayne, Lena Dunham, Meryl Streep, Chris Rock and Shia La Beouf were among those who recorded skits with the presenter.
There was a galaxy of star quality, too, on the sofa, upon which guests perch together for the duration of the show, rather than plugging their product and making a swift exit. British audiences have long enjoyed Graham Norton making full use of the situation’s potential for awkwardness and interaction but, in the US, the approach remains novel.
And, in another break from seating tradition, Tom Hanks and Mila Kunis were treated to an informal chat as Corden wheeled his office chair from behind the desk to sit alongside them and gently – or not entirely – press Kunis as to her marital status. (Eventually she flashed a wedding ring, giving the host his scoop.)
The result was “a home run”, according to CNN, which described Corden’s debut as “one of the smoothest first episodes of any new talk show hosts in recent memory”. After a warm response from viewers on Twitter, Corden responded: “Well, so many truly lovely messages about the show tonight. I’m blown away, thank you.”
Other reviews were more measured, noting Corden’s tendency to laugh at his own jokes and questioning his ability to maintain the magic long term but, in general, critical opinion was that he had charmed with his warm approach. “He comes without almost any snark,” noted Tim Goodman in the Hollywood Reporter. “Corden doesn’t put a layer of cool between him and the viewer (or his guests) – he’s as affable and sincere as [Jimmy] Fallon, with just a little less goofiness. It’s a welcome trait.”
Corden eschewed the format’s traditional opening monologue in favour of an introduction that set the laid-back tone. “I’m from a place called High Wycombe in Great Britain, which you almost certainly will never have heard of because most people in Great Britain haven’t heard of it, so I don’t expect you to,” he said.
Thanking his parents for visiting Los Angeles for the first time in order to watch his debut, he joked: “They are eating kale every day. My mum is getting a boob job next week.”
Having Hanks on the sofa – and in a much-applauded sketch in which the pair celebrated the movie star’s career by running through all of his movies in quick, winning and occasionally bonkers succession – helped Corden to get off to a strong start.
“CBS deserves credit for taking a flyer on a promising if unorthodox choice,” wrote Brian Lowry in Variety, who viewed the premiere as being “slightly uneven with moments of inspired lunacy and some clear areas for the newbie host to work on”.
While there was room for improvement when it came to interacting with guests, Corden oozed sincerity, Lowry said, praising the English host as “natural and likeable”, a performer who was “clearly multitalented and “exhibited bright flashes”.
The 36-year-old will be learning on the job. He is best known as an actor – in 2012 he won a best actor Tony award for his performance in One Man, Two Guvnors – with little experience of talk shows. He has taken over the Late Late Show from Glasgow-born comedian Craig Ferguson, who had been its host for a decade. It was a privilege to do so, Corden told his first-night audience. “I really will do my best not to let any of you down.”
This low-key, non-showbiz approach drew praise from the New York Daily News, with critic David Hinkley seeing Corden as “from the school that feels it’s better to close the day with a good glass of wine than tequila shots”.
US actors Chris Pine and Will Ferrell visit his Late Late Show sofa later this week.
