Talk Show Guest Hall of Fame: Migos on Carpool Karaoke

Date November 14, 2018

There’s a formula to talk shows: ask a few questions, sets up a pre-arranged anecdote, roll a promotional clip. There are, of course, a few twists that have been introduced in recent years to add some excitement—and encourage a viral video. If you’re sitting down with Ellen, there’s a chance a clown will pop out to scare you; if you’re making an appearance on Jimmy Fallon, you may be asked to participate in a lip sync battle; if you’re dropping by James Corden, you could end up eating a calf’s brain. The onus to create an amusing talk show bit falls heavily on the celebrity guest, and every once in a while, an unexpected A-lister gifts the world a moment of spontaneous, hilarious and endearing entertainment. With the Talk Show Guest Hall of Fame, we commemorate these celebs.

Nobody could have guessed there was a Migos-singing-Whitney-Houston-size hole missing in the universe—until James Corden’s “Carpool Karaoke” stepped in to fill it. On a new segment of Corden’s on-going “Stars Singing In A Car” series, Quavo, Offset and Takeoff flaunt stacks of cash, cover Corden in “drip,” and add their signature ad libs to two roadtrip classics: Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” and Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline.” It’s not often we see the Migos trio showing any sort of enthusiasm, which is probably what makes the clip so shockingly good. I recommend doing a few face stretches before pressing play; your cheekbones might get sore from smiling.