James Corden danced with Los Angeles Lakers cheerleaders in front of 19,000 screaming fans to win a competition on Wednesday’s episode of Game On! on CBS.
As a member of the show’s Team Gronk, he was joined by leader Rob Gronkowski, 31, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers player who also added his own twist to the routine.
The two of them were competing for glory against Venus Williams, 39, who danced with confidence alongside stand-up comedian Ian Karmel, 35.
Dance team: James Corden danced with Los Angeles Lakers cheerleaders in front of 19,000 screaming fans to win a competition on Wednesday’s episode of Game On! on CBS
Team Venus went first, and seemed to have all the right moves, with its tennis star leader boasting that she was born to be onstage at the Staples Center.
But when James, 41, and Rob hit the floor, the crowd was solidly theirs, charmed by their great commitment to the steps and their devil-may-care attitude, which earned them the win.
James and Rob looked lovingly at each other afterward as James told the NFL star, ‘I’ll never forget tonight.’
The Late Late Show host was praised by the Lakers’ entertainment director for his ‘swagger and confidence’ and he admitted that he and Rob bonded during the experience.
Football star: Rob Gronkowski also danced with the Laker Girls
Good form: The pro football player showed good form dancing with the famous squad
Teaming up: James and Rob teamed up as part of a competition on Game On!
‘We became one organism whose only purpose was to bring joy through dance,’ James recalled. ‘And you felt it in the arena… I saw [Jack Nicholson] turn to his friend and say, ”I’ve never been in a movie that’s as good as this”.’
Ian teased James that his act was so good, Lakers player LeBron James’ hairline came down two inches just watching them, joking, ‘It made him feel young again.’
‘Anthony Davis’ eyebrow separated as he watched it!’ James returned, laughing hysterically as he considered the bushy-browed Lakers athlete, 27.
One organism: ‘We became one organism whose only purpose was to bring joy through dance,’ James recalled
James was joined on the show by fellow guest star Landon Donovan, 38, a former member of the Los Angeles Galaxy soccer team and manager of San Diego Loyal Soccer Club.
Team Gronk was filled out by the hapless and hilarious comic Bobby Lee, 48.
At the start of the show, James was asked what would be a fair punishment for Team Venus if they lost, and said, ‘Just to know that they lost to me and Bobby Lee is probably punishment enough.’
New show: Venus competed with soccer squad Landon Donovan and stand-up comic Ian Karmel
To connect the dots between James and his team leader, the show’s host, Keegan-Michael Key, 49, observed that Rob once played football in London.
‘That is correct,’ Rob said in what he called his ‘London’ accent. ‘And we actually called it soccer when we were there. And I actually had two touchdowns when I was there.’
Bobby laughed at Rob’s terrible British accent, and James asked him, ‘Is that how I sound to you?’
English comedian: James was not impressed with Rob’s attempt at an English accent
‘I was there for two days, and I picked this up,’ Rob said, sounding more Bronx than Brit.
‘Just so you know, you didn’t pick it up,’ James told him. ‘You’ve got to stop. It’s the worst.
In round one, the teams faced off with a game called ‘Alley-Oop,’ which saw Bobby and Landon trying to sink basketballs in a net while being dangled in mid-air.
First round: In round one, the teams faced off with a game called ‘Alley-Oop,’ which saw Bobby and Landon trying to sink basketballs in a net while being dangled in mid-air
Bobby easily sunk three baskets while Landon got zero, giving the first win to Team Gronk.
In the second round, teams were asked which of three athletes cried the longest in public.
Team Gronk correctly guessed it was former Green Bay Packers star Brett Favre, 50, who wept for 10 minutes at a press conference, followed by golfer Bubba Watson, 41, and tennis player Roger Federer, 38.
Crying game: In the second round, teams were asked which of three athletes cried the longest in public
‘Roger cries every match,’ Venus affirmed, adding that she’d never shed a tear on the court. ‘It’s a tennis match. Read my lips: It’s a tennis match.’
Landon said he’d once cried in a soccer match, and had ‘asked [show] producers to pull the clip, but they said ”We couldn’t afford it, because we had to pay James to be here today”.’
Rob said he cried when he retired, as reporters asked him about his career, and father-of-three James confessed that he cried ‘at the drop of a hat, when my kids do anything.’
Every match: ‘Roger cries every match,’ Venus Williams affirmed of Swiss champion Federer, adding that she’d never shed a tear on the court. ‘It’s a tennis match. Read my lips: It’s a tennis match’
For their third challenge, Rob competed against Venus and Ian in the Laker Girls dance battle, with each team facing off at halftime during a Lakers home game.
They easily won their set, dancing with great commitment to Stay by Zedd and Alessia Cara.
‘I appreciate your support,’ James told boxer Floyd Mayweather, 43, who rushed the court afterward.
Dance battle: For their third challenge, Rob competed against Venus and Ian in the Laker Girls dance battle, with each team facing off at halftime during a Lakers home game
Boxing champion: ‘I appreciate your support,’ James told boxer Floyd Mayweather, 43, who rushed the court after his dance performance
For round four, the teams had to guess which of three athletes—former NBA stars Shaquille O’Neal, 48, and Ron Artest, aka Metta World Peace, 40, and wrestler John Cena, 43—had the highest-charting rap album on the Billboard 200 list.
Landon said that he’d listened to all kinds of music early on in his career, but once David Beckham, 45, joined the Los Angeles Galaxy, ‘it was only Spice Girls.
Team Venus won, guessing that Shaquille charted highest, and John was next. Ron didn’t chart.
Fourth round: For round four, the teams had to guess which of three athletes—former NBA stars Shaquille O’Neal, 48, and Ron Artest, aka Metta World Peace, 40, and wrestler John Cena, 43—had the highest-charting rap album on the Billboard 200 list
The final challenge saw the team leaders each climb up to a platform high above the show’s stage, then cross to another platform while the opposite team tried to answer a larger number of questions.
Keegan-Michael asked James if he wished he could be the one to climb for his team.
‘I’m devastated,’ James said. ‘It’s been a life’s dream of mine to be hoisted that high in the air, and to scale a 10-foot floating platform in return for points on a show where I don’t really know what the prize is.’
Good times: Rob had fun as captain of Team Gronk on the new CBS game show
Rob crossed himself as he made the terrifying jump, calling it ‘the scariest thing I’ve ever done in my life.’
Venus screamed the whole way across, saying, ‘I can’t feel my legs.’
In the end, Team Gronk outpaced Team Venus, and won the whole show, 18 points to 11.
Screaming time: Venus screamed the whole way across, saying, ‘I can’t feel my legs’
Because they lost, all three members of Team Venus had to take freezing cold ice baths.
‘Oh my God, this sucks so bad,’ Ian yelled before dunking himself completely below the surface.
Game On! will return next week on CBS.
Ice baths: Because they lost, all three members of Team Venus had to take freezing cold ice baths
Cold water: The ice baths were waiting for Venus and her team