Page 31 - ARUBA TODAY

A31
PEOPLE & ARTS Monday 10 June 2019

Tony Awards host James Corden hopes audience will find ‘joy’

By JOHN CARUCCI throughout it. Corden was race, sexuality, everything.
MARK KENNEDY credited with handling the They say, ‘Come and be
Associated Press situation with poignancy part of this, merry band,’”
NEW YORK (AP) — TV talk and positivity. recalled Corden. “’That’s
show host James Corden He recalled he had gotten what we have to say.’”
steps back into the role of a good sleep the morning Sunday’s telecast will be
Tony Award host Sunday, of the show and was initially Corden’s fourth Tony mo-
not planning anything too oblivious about the details ment. He attended the
political and not worried of the Pulse shooting until re- show as an actor in 2006
about any online snark. hearsal, when the scale of when his play “The History
“I hope people will find joy the horror became clearer Boys” was nominated. He
in it,” said the host of CBS’ and it was being described then won a Tony in 2012 in
“The Late Late Show With as America’s most deadly “One Man, Two Guvnors.”
James Corden” and a Tony mass shooting. Then came the 2016 host-
winner in his own right. “We “The saddest thing about ing gig.
just want to make a show This Jan. 28, 2018, file photo shows James Corden hosting the all of it — the absolute sad- The late night host, who
that is an absolute joyous 60th annual Grammy Awards at Madison Square Garden in New dest thing about all of it — is has made his “Carpool
celebration of a group of York. that today it isn’t America’s Karaoke” segments huge
people that I think should Associated Press biggest mass shooting any- viral hits, said he’s braced
be celebrated at the mini- “It’s terrifying. Because about President Donald more,” Corden said. for the inevitable criticism
mum once a year on tele- there’s only one chance to Trump. Corden doesn’t That day, Corden and ex- awards hosts usually face
vision.” do it. It’s completely live,” plan to fan the flames. ecutive producer Ben Win- online.
Corden spoke in the midst he said. “You’re trying to Corden recalled his heavy- ston wrestled with how to “I think it’s really easy to
of his rehearsal preparation do something new that you hearted role three years handle the shooting while criticize, and it’s really hard
that culminates in a three- only have four days to re- ago when he hosted the also celebrating Broadway. to have an idea. I remem-
hour live show at Radio City hearse.” Tonys, which unspooled They agreed the telecast ber thinking that when ‘The
Music Hall. He has hosted Part of the unpredictabil- hours after a gunman killed had to explicitly honor the Game of Thrones’ finale
the telecast before — in ity stems from these hyper- 49 people at a gay Florida dead and extend Broad- happened, and people
2016 when “Hamilton” was partisan times. Live award nightclub. That prompted way’s message of inclusion. were up in arms,” he said.
that season’s juggernaut — shows have lately had a a Broadway tribute to the “The theatrical community “And you just want to go,
as well as the Grammys in political edge — last year’s victims at the top of the is one that welcomes ev- ‘Well, you should go and
2018, but it’s still a daunting Tony show saw Robert De show and a smattering of eryone. They have preju- write something better
task. Niro dropping an F-bomb references to tolerance dice for no one — gender, then.’”q