Is James Corden the new Craig Ferguson?
First it was Pink is the new Black. Then, everyone said that Orange is the New Black and Kale is the new Spinach. Now, it’s quite possible that James Corden is the new Craig Ferguson! With Ferguson leaving The Late Late Show at years end, I think that Benedict Cumberbatch’s name is the only one that has not surfaced as a possible replacement. The latest is British actor and comedian, James Corden, known widely in the UK for his BAFTA winning performance in Gavin & Stacey, which he both co-wrote and starred in, his performance in both the West End and on Broadway in One Man, Two Guvnors where he won the Tony Award and, most recently, for his co-creator/starring role in the comedy, The Wrong Mans.
While he’s not yet a household name in the States, he may soon get there with the recently released feature, Begin Again with Keira Knightley.
While I think Corden could be a great choice, the brilliant shoes of Craig Ferguson will be hard to fill. Personally, I have always thought him to be the funniest and most quick witted of all the current latenight hosts and should have replaced Jay Leno on The Tonight Show but that’s another story for another day. Unfortunately, no one asked me this time around. That said, I think the possibility of someone with the quick wit, enthusiasm and energy of a James Corden has potential…IF, he gets the creative freedom that Ferguson had or that Graham Norton has.
This won’t be the last we’ll see of Ferguson. After all, he was also the voice of Freakazoid‘s mentor AND the British comedy drama Doc Martin was based on a character from Ferguson’s film Saving Grace, with Ferguson getting writing credits for 12 of the episodes. Did I mention he was also in an episode of Red Dwarf back in the late 80’s? Need I say more about why Craig Ferguson is brilliant?
