When James Corden traveled to London for his “Carpool Karaoke” session with Adele, it delivered his show the most-watched late-night clip of the year (136 million views and counting).
This week, he went to New York City to try to top that feat with an even bigger legend: Madonna.
Corden has karaoke’d with a lot of major stars, but no one with as many hits as Madonna. And no one who so successfully figured out how to dance in a car.
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Ahead of the icon’s concert film, Madonna: Rebel Heart Tour, which will air this Friday on Showtime, she joined Corden for a ride around Manhattan where they vogued together and she did some twerking on her own in the passenger seat to her new song, “Bitch I’m Madonna.”
“That’s the first in-car twerk I’ve ever seen,” an impressed Corden remarked.
While Madonna described her kids as “rebellious,” she said she herself doesn’t drink, smoke or party and is “quite square” with a “very predictable life.” She’s Madonna on stage, but Julie Andrews at home, she said, adding that she wanted to be a nun when she was young, but has been excommunicated by the Vatican three times. That story led, naturally, into “Papa Don’t Preach.”
As a musical theater fanatic, Corden was also eager to sing “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina,” from Evita with Madonna, who seemed to have some trouble remembering the words at one point.
Later, Corden grilled his guest on her preferred “type” of man. She said he needs to have a sense of humor. “I think the best thing in the world is to be married to someone who is funny,” she said, flirting with the host. “All that is missing is a good dress sense,” she added, making fun of his flannel shirt.
Corden then got Madonna to “kiss and tell” about her time dating Michael Jackson when they were both at the height of their respective pop careers. “Baby, I’ve been around,” she said, admitting to making out with the King of Pop. “I haven’t had the chance to talk about it, no one ever asks me.” She admitted she had to make the “first move” because Jackson was a “little bit shy.” However, she added, “He was a willing accomplice. And I did get him to sort of loosen up with a glass of chardonnay.”
By the end they had achieved official “friend” status, with Madonna adopting Corden as her “bitch.” They finished their ride, appropriately enough, with the title song from her 2000 album: “Music, makes the people, come together, yeah.”
