Tony Awards host James Corden won’t get too political, hopes audience will find ‘joy’

NEW YORK (AP) — TV talk show host James Corden steps back into the role of Tony Award host Sunday, not planning anything too political and not worried about any online snark.

“I hope people will find joy in it,” said the host of CBS’ “The Late Late Show With James Corden” and a Tony winner in his own right. “We just want to make a show that is an absolute joyous celebration of a group of people that I think should be celebrated at the minimum once a year on television.”

Corden spoke in the midst of his rehearsal preparation that culminates in a three-hour live show at Radio City Music Hall. He has hosted the telecast before — in 2016 when “Hamilton” was that season’s juggernaut — as well as the Grammys in 2018, but it’s still a daunting task.

“It’s terrifying. Because there’s only one chance to do it. It’s completely live,” he said. “You’re trying to do something new that you only have four days to rehearse.”

Part of the unpredictability stems from these hyper-partisan times. Live award shows have lately had a political edge — last year’s Tony show saw Robert De Niro dropping an F-bomb about President Donald Trump. Corden doesn’t plan to fan the flames.

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