James Corden’s Farewell Speech Addresses Divisions in America

USA.- James Corden used part of his farewell speech in Thursday’s final episode of «The Late Late Show» de CBS to address the deep division in America on burning issues including politics and ideology.

“We started this program with Obama, then Trump, and a global pandemic. I have seen America change a lot. I have seen the divisions grow and I have felt a feeling of negativity seethe,” the presenter said. He implored his audience to “remember what America means to the rest of the world. My whole life has been a place of optimism. … Yes, it has flaws, but show me a place that doesn’t have them. Show me a person who doesn’t have it.

Just because someone disagrees with you doesn’t mean they’re bad or evil. We are all more alike than different. There are a lot of people trying to stir up those differences and we have to try our best to find the light, to find the joy. If you do, it’s out there. That’s what this show has always been about,” he said.

Corden announced a year ago that he would end his late-night show after eight seasons., citing a desire to return to the UK to be closer to his family and loved ones. Her parents were sitting in the audience at the final recording, and her sisters, she joked, were also in town, but at a bar.

Also on Thursday, CBS aired a prime-time special called «The Last Last Late Late Show Special» with segments recorded with Tom Cruise (where they did stunts and sang a duet of “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from “The Lion King”) and Adele, where they recorded a final Carpool Karaoke segment.

Corden reminded the singer that she has an Emmy, a Grammy and an Oscar and wondered if she would ever actively pursue a Tony Award. “You have the EGO,” she said.

“I really don’t think that’s ever going to happen. She would never write a musical or anything like that because (expletive) I hate musicals,” Adele said with a laugh. “I also think that the EGO suits me better.”

Harry Styles and Will Ferrell were Corden’s last guests. Styles has been a frequent visitor to the show, and has even been a guest host on two occasions. He has participated in several recordings with Corden, such as when the presenter directed a music video for the Styles song “Daylight” for only $300 and when the musician participated in an 11-minute segment with a dodgeball game between the United Kingdom and USA where Corden, Styles, “Games of Thrones” actor James Bradley and Benedict Cumberbatch faced off against the likes of Michelle Obama, Mila Kunis, Kate Hudson, Lena Waithe and Melissa McCarthy.

“As a friend, I’m incredibly proud of you,” Styles told Corden. “Personally, you have been a safe space for me, always as a friend.” He added that he was “selfishly excited to have you coming home.” Next, Styles, Corden and Ferrell hugged each other as a group.

There were also farewells to the other presenters of the late night. Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert and David Letterman appeared in a pre-recorded segment with Corden. They joked that since Corden finished his show, they could each order one of the segments from him.

They all chose Carpool Karaoke, a reference to Corden’s most popular sketch in which he drives around Los Angeles with celebrities and sings songs. Paul McCartney, Justin Bieber, Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder and Chris Martin are some of his passengers on Carpool Karaoke. The segment was so successful that it became its own series for Apple. Corden only appeared in the debut episode with Will Smith in the car.

Corden closed out the night by playing a piano and singing a song with the crew and staff gathered around the stage. “Part of me thinks I should stay here forever, but deep in my heart I know,” Corden sang. “There are no more shows to show, it’s time for me to go, it’s time. Thanks for watching, that’s our show.”