Earlier this month, CBS confirmed that it would air a one-hour primetime special featuring the best of Carpool Karaoke, a popular viral segment from The Late Late Show with James Corden. Now, a one-minute promo video has been released to whet viewers’ appetites for it. It doesn’t really preview much of what’s to come; but it does put Corden’s singing/rapping/performing prowess on full display.
In a music video format, Corden emulates Macklemore, and sings his own version of the popular song Downtown called Primetime. In it, he declares that “viewers will watch it, critics will judge it,” adding a nice rhyme detailing the fact that ruining the Mona Lisa during the silly promo will make the show “way over budget.”
We also get a glimpse of Jennifer Lopez, who will be featured in a new edition of the recurring segment at the end of the special.
In his regular Carpool Karaoke segments, Corden picks up a musical guest and they drive around town discussing life, their career, and other topics, interspersed with some raucous karaoke. Past guests have included everyone from current bubblegum pop stars like One Direction and Justin Bieber, to musical icons like Rod Stewart, Stevie Wonder, and Elton John, and divas like Adele and Sia. They sing their own hits, and sometimes the songs of others, such as the time when Adele rapped some Nicki Minaj.
Often, the shenanigans go above and beyond: Corden has ended up in a cheap motel with Coldplay’s Chris Martin, gone clothes shopping with Bieber, and dressed up like a lion from The Lion King with Sir Elton.
It has been rumored that the primetime special will be testing the waters for a possible television series based on the segment, similar to the show Lip Sync Battle on Spike, which is based on a recurring segment from Late Night With Jimmy Fallon and The Tonight Show.
Corden’s new special will air tomorrow, Tuesday, March 29 at 10 p.m. (9 p.m. Central).
