Corden brings great fun to Grammys
James Corden should bring a blessed frivolity to hosting the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.
The star of CBS’ “Late Late Show” has the tricks, talent and temperament to offset any pretentious moments on the music industry’s biggest night. Corden keeps the music fun through his sketches “Carpool Karaoke,” “Drop the Mic” and “Crosswalk the Musical.” He makes his guests look good, and they know it.
Corden will oversee the Grammy telecast, starting at 7:30 p.m. Sunday on CBS, from Madison Square Garden in New York.
His main challenge is guiding the sprawling evening to its conclusion. Golden Globes host Seth Meyers had to deliver sharp commentary, a tricky assignment he aced. Oscar host Jimmy Kimmel must pull off both tasks.
This year’s Grammy nominees signal a real shift in the industry,
with a new appreciation for rap and R&B. Jay-Z leads with eight nominations. Kendrick Lamar has seven, and Bruno Mars collected six. SZA is the most nominated woman with five. Khalid and Childish Gambino (Donald Glover) scored five apiece. All except Jay-Z are set to perform.
The lineup also includes Sting, Lady Gaga, U2, Sam Smith, Alessia Cara, Cardi B, Kesha, Little Big Town, Logic and P!nk.
There will be collaborations: Emmylou Harris with Chris Stapleton; Elton John with Miley Cyrus; Zuleyka Rivera with Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee. Brothers Osborne, Eric Church and Maren Morris will honor victims of attacks at music events. Presenting will be Tony Bennett, Dave Chappelle, Kelly Clarkson, Jim Gaffigan, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Trevor Noah and Sarah Silverman.
In a welcome change of pace, the Grammys will salute Broadway. Tony winner Patti LuPone will sing “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” from “Evita.” Tony winner Ben Platt (“Dear Evan Hansen”) will pay tribute to “West Side Story.” They are two of Broadway’s best, and so is Corden, a Tony winner for the farce “One Man, Two Guvnors.”
Corden did a superb job of hosting the Tonys in 2016, the day of the Pulse nightclub shooting. His fine work hosting last year’s Grammys paved the way for his return this year. He really loves music, and you can’t fake that. His authenticity should help viewers make it through the night.