Michelle Obama joins James Corden for Carpool Karaoke

Michelle Obama joined James Corden for Carpool Karaoke

(Image credit: Late Late Show)

last updated 21 July 2016

Other than helping Malia learn to drive a few months ago, First Lady Michelle Obama has not been in a car, "in the passenger seat, listening to music, rocking out like this," in almost eight years, she told James Corden in Wednesday's special edition of "Carpool Karaoke." They had just listened to "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" by Stevie Wonder, and this Corden drive-and-sing-along was different because they couldn't leave the White House grounds — the premise was that Corden wanted a tour of the White House — as well as because of the guests.

Michelle Obama knew all the words to "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" (and, apparently, every other Stevie Wonder song) and all the dance moves to Beyoncé's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)," and Missy Elliot got in the car to help sing a song, "This Is For My Girls," she recorded for Obama's "Let Girls Learn" initiative, as well as her "Get UR Freak On."

The singing is good, but the questions and answers are probably more interesting. The first lady told Corden she's going to miss the people she sees every day at the White House, but not the 24-hour room service: "That's nice, but the freedom that we'll get in exchange for the privileges and the luxuries — you know, seven and a half years, that's enough luxuriating. I can make my own grilled-cheese sandwich." Her Secret Service code name is "Renaissance" (President Obama's is "Renegade"), she said, and you don't get to choose the first letter of your code name but you can apparently veto the Secret Service's name choice. Speaking of the Secret Service, they got in on the act, too:

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.