( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
WELCOME BACK TO "THE LATE SHOW."
FOLKS, MY FIRST GUEST IS AN ACADEMY AWARD-WINNING ACTRESS
AND TWO-TIME GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING SINGER YOU KNOW
FROM "DREAMGIRLS" AND "THE COLOR PURPLE."
SHE NOW STARS IN "CATS."
PLEASE WELCOME JENNIFER HUDSON!
♪ ♪ ♪
>> WOW!
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: THERE YOU GO, EXACTLY.
>> WOW!
>> Stephen: DON'T BE A STRANGER.
PEOPLE IN THE ED SULLIVAN LOVE JENNIFER HUDSON.
>> THANK YOU!
>> Stephen: IT'S NICE.
THAT IS-- THAT IS AN ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL DRESS.
>> YOU LIKE IT?
>> Stephen: I LOVE THE SPARKLE BLUE.
THAT'S VERY NICE.
>> HOLIDAY FESTIVE.
THANK YOU.
>> Stephen: NOW, OBVIOUSLY, PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS EXCITED TO SEE
JENNIFER HUDSON.
BUT PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN VERY EXCITED BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN
SPOTTED PORTRAYING A NEW ROLE.
I-- I CANNOT WAIT FOR THIS.
YOU ARE NOW GOING TO BE PORTRAYING ARETHA FRANKLIN FOR
THE BIOPIC, "RESPECT."
>> YES.
>> Stephen: THAT'S EXTRAORDINARY.
AND IS IT TRUE, I HEARD THAT ARETHA FRANKLIN PERSONALLY
PICKED YOU TO PORTRAY HER WHILE SHE WAS STILL WITH US?
>> YES.
WHICH IS MIND BLOWING.
>> Stephen: THAT IS.
>> IT IS.
>> Stephen: WHAT WAS THAT PHONE CALL LIKE?
DID YOU TALK TO HER ABOUT IT?
>> OH, YEAH.
FIRST OF ALL, WE HAD OUR FIRST MEETING ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO RIGHT
AFTER I WON MY OSCAR FOR "DREAMGIRLS."
WE HAD A MEETING HERE IN NEW YORK.
AND SHE MADE A FINAL DECISION WHILE I WAS ON "THE COLOR
PURPLE."
SHE SAID, "I MADE MY DECISION, IT IS GOING TO BE YOU PLAYING
ME."
AND I SAID, "YES, MA'AM."
AND SHE SAID, "DON'T SAY ANYTHING."
WE TALKED ABOUT IT FOR A LONG TIME NOW AND IT'S ACTUALLY
MANIFESTING NOW.
>> Stephen: YOU SPENT SOME TIME WITH ARETHA TOWARD OF END
OF HER LIFE.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: I HAVE A PHOTOGRAPH HERE-- ACTUALLY, I
HAVE TWO OF THEM.
THIS IS CLASSIC ARETHA THERE.
AND THEN THIS IS THE TWO OF YOU-- I UNDERSTAND YOU LOVE THIS
PHOTOGRAPH.
>> IT'S MY FAVORITE PHOTO.
>> Stephen: TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.
>> HERE I AM DOING A TRIBUTE-- I DID MANY TRIBUTES TO HER-- AT
THE B.E.T.-- AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SURPRISE.
WE'RE IN REHEARSAL AT THE VENUE, AND ARETHA SHOULDN'T-- SHOULDN'T
HAVE KNOWN ANYTHING ABOUT IT, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN SHE BURST
INSIDE OF THE REHEARSAL SPACE.
AND EVERYBODY STOPS LIKE...
( LAUGHTER )
WHAT DO WE DO?
WE COULDN'T SING ANYTHING.
ANYWAY, SHE SAT DOWN AND SHE TALKED TO ME FOR A LONG TIME.
AND THEN SHE MADE WHILE SHE WAS LEAVING SPP THEY SAID, "SHE'S
OUTSIDE OF THE DOOR LISTENING."
>> Stephen: SHE'S NOT DUMB.
>> SO SHE POPPED US ON US AND SAT IN THE MIDDLE.
WHEN DOES ARETHA POP UP IN YOUR REHEARSAL?
>> Stephen: VERY RARELY HERE.
PEOPLE, OF COURSE, ARE ALSO EXCITE BUILD THE RELEASE OF
"CATS" ON FRIDAY
>> Stephen: THIS IS A MUSICAL A LONGTIME COMING.
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DO A "CATS" MUSICAL FOREVER.
WE JUST HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY NOW TO TURN PEOPLE INTO CATS.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR.
OF COURSE, THE GREAT ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER MUSICAL.
HERE YOU ARE-- AGAIN, THIS IS DONE WITH C.G.I.
WHAT'S YOUR NAME.
>> GRIZABELLA THE GLAMOUR CAT.
>> Stephen: GRIZABELLA THE GLAMOUR CAT.
I ASKED YOUR COSTAR, IDRIS ELBA, WHEN HE WAS ON HERE.
I ASKED HIM A QUESTION AND I'LL ASK YOU.
YOU CAN EXPLAIN THE PLOTS OF "CATS."
WHAT HAPPENS?
>> BASICALLY, YOU KNOW HOW CATS GET A NINTH LIFE.
THEY HAVE A BALL ONCE A YEAR AND ONLY ONE CAT GETS THAT NINTH
LIFE.
THEY GET TO DISPLAY THEIR TALENT, WHATEVER THAT IS, AND
TRY TO EARN THE NINTH LIFE.
>> Stephen: WHAT HAPPENS TO THE OTHER CATS, DO THEY DIE?
>> THEY HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT YEAR TO TRY TO GET THE
NINTH LIFE, I GUESS.
>> Stephen: THAT'S BEST EXPLANATION OF "CATS."
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S RIGHT.
>> IT'S RIGHT!
WATCH THE MOVIE.
YOU'LL SEE.
>> Stephen: I TRUST YOU.
WHAT IS A JELLICLES CAT.
>> EACH SONG EXPLAINS ALL OF THAT.
YOU GET THE SOUNDTRACK, YOU GET TICKETS TO THE MOVIE, AND YOU
SEE THE MOVIE, AND IT WILL TELL YOU EVERYTHING YOU ALL NEED TO
KNOW!
( APPLAUSE )
EVERYBODY HAD TO GO TO CAT SCHOOL.
>> YES, WE DID.
>> Stephen: DID YOU GO TO CAT SCHOOL?
>> YEAH, TO BE A CAT, YEAH, YOU HAVE TO GO TO CAT SCHOOL.
>> Stephen: THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME YOU HAVE BEEN TO
SCHOOL.
YOU HAD TO GO TO DIVA SCHOOL FOR "DREAMGIRLS."
>> I FELT LIKE I WAS GOING TO CLASS EVERY DAY.
AND FAST FORWARD 15 YEARS LATER, AND NOW I'M A CAT.
AND I'M IN CAT SCHOOL.
>> Stephen: WHAT'S CAT SCHOOL.
>> I'M CRAWLING ON THE FLOOR.
WE HAD TO LEARN TO CRAWL, AND-- COME ON, SNIFF AROUND WITH ME
LEAK A CAT.
BECAUSE YOU LEAD WITH YOUR NOSE OR YOUR EARS, BECAUSE WE LEAD
WITH OUR EYE S.
>> Stephen: SURE.
>> WELL, THEY FOLLOW THEIR SENSES, THEIR NOSE, SMELL,
RIGHT?
>> Stephen: YEAH.
>> SO, LET ME SEE YOU...
( LAUGHTER )
>> Stephen: IT'S WATER.
>> AND SHE MADE LIKE A CAT!
TRY IT!
( APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: AND THEN YOU-- YOU HAVE CATS OF YOUR OWN.
>> I DO.
>> Stephen: OKAY, TELL ME WHO IS IN THIS PHOTO HERE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF ANIMALS IN THIS PHOTO.
>> I HAVE FIVE PETS.
SO WE HAVE FROM THE "DREAMGIRLS" ERA, OSCAR, GRAMMY, AND THEN
GRIZABELLA.
AND SO I HAVE FIVE PETS.
>> Stephen: DO YOU THINK YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR CATS MORE NOW
THAT YOU HAVE A CAT?
>> YES.
BECAUSE I HAD CATS GROWING UP, ANDY DIDN'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT
THEM.
BUT AFTER CAT SCHOOL, I'M LIKE, "OH, I GET CATS MORE NOW."
( LAUGHTER ) YEAH.
SO WE CEEND OF, YOU KNOW-- BUT THEY JUST SLEEP ALL DAY.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> Stephen: I GET THAT.
I GET THAT A LOT.
A LOT OF IT IS DONE WITH GREEN SCREEN AND DIGITAL EFFECTS AND
EVERYTHING.
SO YOU'VE GOT ALL THE TECHNOLOGY INVOLVED IN IT, WHERE,
EVERYTHING IS DONE IN FRONT OF A GREEN SCREEN, AND YOU'RE BEING
TURNED INTO CATS DIGITALLY.
SO YOU REALLY LOOK LIKE HALF-HUMAN, HALF-CAT, AND
THERE'S MUSIC GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME.
>> YEAH, WE'RE SINGING A LOT.
>> Stephen: I BELIEVE WE HAVE A CLIP OF THE FILM RIGHT HERE.
JIM.
♪ ♪ ♪ >> OKAY.
( APPLAUSE )
THAT IAN McCLELLAN?
>> I DON'T KNOW THAT CAT.
>> Stephen: YOU'RE CLEARLY-- YOU'RE CLEARLY IN THE HOLIDAY
SPIRIT.
OBVIOUSLY, THE BLUE SPARKLE TAKES THRUS.
BUT YOU RECENTLY POSTED SOME PHOTOS OF YOUR-- YOU HAVE MORE
THAN ONE CHRISTMAS TREE?
>> I HAVE THREE CHRISTMAS TREES.
>> Stephen: THREE CHRISTMAS TREES.
OKAY.
HERE IS ONE OF YOUR CHRISTMAS TREES RIGHT THERE.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: WHY IS THAT A CHRISTMAS TREE?
THAT REALLY LOOKS LIKE A DRESS.
>> IT'S A DIVA'S CHRISTMAS TREE.
SO THE BOTTOM PART OF IT IS THE CHRISTMAS PART OF THE TREE.
>> Stephen: OH, IT'S A DIVA'S CHRISTMAS TREE.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: YOU REALLY TOOK DIVA SCHOOL TO HEART.
>> YES!
BUT I'M A GOOD DIVA, THOUGH.
>> Stephen: THERE'S A GOOD DIVA?
>> DIVA DIDN'T ALWAYS HAVE A GOOD TITLE.
SO I ALWAYS PUT "GOOD" IN FRONT OF MY DIVA.
>> Stephen: IS IT LIKE ARE YOU A GOOD WITCH OR BAD WITCH?
>> KIND OF.
KIND OF.
>> Stephen: WHAT'S THE STORY BEHIND THIS DRESS HERE?
CAN YOU WEAR THIS?
>> I'M GOING TO WEAR THIS.
I'M GOING TO WEAR THIS TO MY STARBUCKS CHRISTMAS KARAOKE
PARTY.
IT'S BEING MADE INTO A DRESS.
>> Stephen: GO BACK TO THAT LAST SENTENCE, A STARBUCKS
CHRISTMAS KARAOKE PARTY.
>> IT USED TO BE CALLED THE UGLY SWEATER STAR BUCKS CHRISTMAS
KARAOKE PARTY.
ONE YEAR, MAYBE FIVE YEARS AGO, I CAME UP WITH THIS BIG BRIGHT
IDEA THAT I WANTED TO HAVE, LIKE, A CHRISTMAS PARTY AT
STARBUCKS, BECAUSE YOU GET A COOKIE THE SIZE OF YOUR FACE,
HOT CHOCOLATE.
ALL THE HOLIDAY TREATS IN STARBUCKS.
>> Stephen: IS THIS LIKE TAKING YOUR KID TO A BIRTHDAY
PARTY AT CHUCK E. CHEESE?
DOES STARBUCKS ENCOURAGE THIS?
>> YES, I CALL THEM MR. AND MRS. STARBUCKS.
SO, LOOK, A WEEK AFTER I CAMPAIGN UP WITH THE IDEA, GUESS
WHO CALLED?
MR. AND MRS. STARBUCKS WANTED ME TO COME AND SING AT THEIR
CHRISTMAS PARTY.
I DIDN'T SAY, "ALL I WANT TO DO IS HAVE A CHRISTMAS KARAOKE AT
THE STARBUCKS WITH MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND IF THE PUBLIC WANTS
TO COME IN AND SING WITH US, THEY CAN.
THIS IS GOING TO BE THE SIXTH YEAR OF IT.
AND IT'S GOING TO BE AT THE GRAND IT'S BIG ONE, THE BIGGEST
STARBUCKS IN THE WORLD.
CHICAGO, MY HOME TOWN CITY.
FOUR FLOORS, SO I NEED TO WEAR THE CHRISTMAS TREE DRESS.
>> Stephen: SO WHEN YOU'RE CARRIE OAKING CHRISTMAS WHAT, IS
YOUR GO-TO SONG?
>> MY FAVORITE IS "O HOLY NIGHT."
AND MY COUSIN MAKES ME GET UP AND SING IT WITH HER EVEN THOUGH
WE DON'T REHEARSE IT.
>> Stephen: I DON'T HAVE THAT THE RANGE FOR THAT BECAUSE AT
THE END END-- >> YES YOU DO
♪ O HOLY NIGHT THE STARS ARE BRIGHTLY SHINING
♪ IT IS THE NIGHT OF OUR DEAR SAVIOR'S BIRTH.
YOU BETTER SING.
♪ LONG LAY THE WORLD AND SING IN AND PINING
♪ TILL HE APPEARS AND THE ♪ TAKE IT
♪ A THRILL OF HOPE THE WEARY WORLD REJOICES
♪ SING NOW.
♪ A NEW AND GLORIOUS LORD ♪ FALL ON YOUR KNEES WHERE YOU
AT?
♪ HEAR THE ANGEL VOICES OH, NIGHT DIVINE
♪ OH, NIGHT ♪ OH, NIGHT
♪ WHEN CHRIST WAS BORN ♪
>> Stephen: "CATS" IS IN THEATERS TOMORROW.
JENNIFER HUDSON, EVERYBODY!
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH JONATHAN PRYCE.
FROM "THE TWO POPES."