Unfortunately, no matter how hard we as a society may try, we cannot stop James Corden. Thanks to a viral Cinderella flash mob that he led while in a rat costume (I wish I was joking), Corden now has the internet collectively cringing. However, the clip can tell us a bit about celebrities and how they’re unfortunately just like us.
First things first, let’s get a bit of background information. The flash mob, led by James Corden, was performed in Los Angeles to promote the upcoming Amazon Prime live-action Cinderella.
It’s a seemingly standard rehash of the story we know and love, with Camila Cabello as the titular princess, Billy Porter as Fab G (we stan a queer version of the ages-old Fairy Godmother), and Idina Menzel as the classic evil stepmother. Oh, and Corden is the producer and a mouse named James. Hate it here.
Want to know why the internet is having a field day with the cringe-as-hell video? Well, have a look for yourself. Be warned: what you are about to see, you can’t unsee.
this is nightmare fuel pic.twitter.com/T5f37ZeXWg
— bethany (@fiImgal) August 28, 2021
Understandably, the internet fell apart over the video, mostly because the whole idea of flash mobs died in 2014 after we all collectively became sick of them being plastered across YouTube all the time.
the weirdest thing about the Cinderella flash mob thing, to me, is that it happened at all. I thought we agreed as a society that flash mobs were cringe back in like, late 2014
— death to the bad bird website (@MaxKnightley) August 29, 2021
Alongside the internet cringing into itself, came the memes about *checks notes* running over members of the flash mob.
I have no words, the internet really is a cooked place to be.
https://twitter.com/RealYungCripp/status/1431894885670457344?s=20
https://twitter.com/KweenKy_/status/1431435765016313858?s=20
The PR team for this movie must be having an absolute field day after checking the coverage for the flash mob and just seeing multiple variations of “run them over” online.
At least there are some other memes that have nothing to do with vehicular manslaughter.
me every time James Corden pops up on my timeline pic.twitter.com/z04YU4dr1i
— Frank Costa (@feistyfrank) August 28, 2021
sending around the cinderella flash mob clip like it’s the tape in the ring
— Daniel Spielberger (@quepaso_daniel) August 28, 2021
The intriguing part about the Cinderella flash mob is that it peeks underneath the veil of celebrity in a way that reveals just how human these people are.
It’s clear that this PR stunt is just part of the job for Cabello, Menzel and Porter, another box to tick on the list of obligations for movie promotion. In a way, these celebs with quite a bit of money are no different to us. They’re just performing their job requirements to earn their pay, no matter how ridiculous the task at hand is.
They’re all just a bunch of grown-up theatre kids living out their dreams in LA and severely embarrassing themselves in the process. It’s all part of the theatrics that their job demands, and it’s kind of painful to witness. Then again, theatre kids are painful in general, so I guess it makes sense.
One thing to also point out, however, is that James Corden as the producer could’ve easily elected to not be a part of this, but here he is, draped in a mouse costume, assumedly by choice. Hate it.
https://twitter.com/Wutthepup/status/1431652032876716045?s=20
I’ve never seen a publicity stunt backfire in such a way as the Cinderella flash mob in a very long time. Just a tide of naked loathing.
— Lithium Blossom 🏳️🌈 Goblin Mode (@BlossomLithium) August 29, 2021
If you need me I’m going to be petitioning for the removal of the flash dance video from the internet. I can’t stand to see it anymore.
