Entertainment

James Corden Is Now An Honorary Backstreet Boy

by Caitlyn Callegari

As if showing off his musical prowess on his show almost daily wasn't enough, James Corden had to go and show us all that we only merely see a modicum of his talent when he's sitting down or maneuvering a vehicle. This time, though, he decided to strut his stuff in the most grandiose way possible, by inviting one of the most iconic boy bands of all time to come and break it down with him. The Backstreet Boys performed on the The Late Late Show, and Corden got on stage with them to elevate the performance to another level entirely.

As a nearly lifelong Backstreet Boys fangirl, truly, I would have been satisfied with their performance alone. After all, heading to Las Vegas to see AJ, Nick, Brian, Kevin, and Howie at this point seems like it's out of the question due to logistics (and my price range). But, that's only because I didn't know what I was missing before the host appeared on stage and totally made "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" his own. The guys were doing a stand up job commanding the audience's attention, but, as soon as Corden joined in, he brought with him an unparalleled excitable energy that was totally infectious.

Corden proved his commitment to earning his honorary Backstreet Boy title in other, impressive ways as well. You know, if knowing all the words to the song, dressing the part, singing in absolute perfect pitch, and also killing their beloved choreographed dance moves are any indication. Let's put it this way: if this was an audition, and I was the Backstreet Boys' manager, I'd hire the host on the spot. In a make it or break it moment, Corden turned a funny cameo into something amazingly entertaining to watch.

That said, being an "honorary Backstreet Boy" is not something I imagine the tight knit group takes lightly, either. If you didn't know, as per MTV's bio of the band, Brian Littrel and Kevin Richardson are cousins, and Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, and A.J. McLean similarly bonded as family after auditioning "for local commercials, theater, and television." As the site relays, the two groups came together as one because of a mutual friend and their mutual love of music and performing.

Plus, the band formed way back when in the early '90s and they have never added a new member since or seemed like they even attempted to. In fact, they've only ever lost a member in Richardson, back in 2006, and even he's been back since 2012. Still, if anyone had to be a (welcomed) interloper, Corden does arguably seem like the chosen one. His transition into a Backstreet Boy is totally seamless, and, if I may be so bold as to say, perhaps he adds just a little something extra that they may have been missing.

Images: TheLateLateShow/YouTube