Watch Michelle Obama, James Corden, and celebrity friends battle it out in a high-stakes dodgeball game

Michelle Obama's Team USA plays James Corden's Team UK in dodgeball
(Image credit: Screenshot/YouTube/The Late Late Show)

A twee episode of "Carpool Karaoke" took a dark turn on Monday's Late Late Show when James Corden and former first lady Michelle Obama had a little spat about which country produced better musicians, the U.S. or the U.K., and that turned into a contest of national pride and an all-star game of dodgeball. The stakes? Determining once and for all which country is better. "It really is that simple," the announcer explained.

"You would not believe how easy it was to get people to do this," Obama said after unveiling Team USA. "All I had to say was, 'You're going to throw a ball at James Corden.'" Her team included Mila Kunis, Allison Janney, Melissa McCarthy, Kate Hudson, and Lena Waithe. Corden's team didn't gel quite as easily, but it was only slightly less impressive: Harry Styles, Benedict Cumberbatch, Game of Thrones' John Bradley, and Corden's Late Late Show bandleader, Reggie Watts — who, he noted, is American. So who won, Team USA or Team U.K.? The pleasure is in the journey, but you can find out the final score below. Peter Weber

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Peter Weber, The Week US

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.