Baker Mayfield and CBS’s James Corden, cringe worthy nuzzlin’?

While there were some laughs as Baker Mayfield went on the Late Late Show, they didn’t show the world the true Cleveland Browns quarterback. But they should have.

No, that’s not a click bait title – Cleveland Browns star quarterback Baker Mayfield and the jolly host of CBS’s The Late Late Show James Corden did indeed nuzzle on national TV.

Blindfolded. Over an emu. Hold on, let’s back up a sec.

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, read DPD’s explanation, Cleveland Browns: Baker Mayfield makes his Late Night Talk Show debut.

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In a nutshell, Mayfield makes his first ever network TV talk show appearance, and as the article does a fine job of pointing out, Baker makes being the quarterback of the Cleveland Browns seem cool.

But that’s not the part I have a problem with – it’s how they went about presenting Cleveland’s hometown hero that I didn’t like.

They could have had Baker kick back on the couch and just be Baker – you know, by:

Telling compelling stories about what it’s like to be an elite professional athlete who’s brought back hope and Browns wins to an entire city, or by
Showing some highlight clips and have him talk us through it, or by
Throwing a few footballs at breakable targets and explode-able foodstuffs, or by
Doing gum-filled John Dorsey impressions and telling us why he gets to call Freddie Kitchens an idiot.

But no, guess that’s not entertaining enough.

Instead, they make Baker dance. Or more precisely, nuzzle.

He and Corden are blindfolded and in a purposely-silly segment they call NUZZLE WAAA? the two grown men are told they have to, without seeing or touching with their hands, nuzzle random objects with their face and guess what they are.

That’s the bit.

Mayfield, like a champ, goes through with it, all smiles and good sportsmanship, and somehow he comes out afterwards looking like a winner. Mainly because he’s a winner. But as he was rubbing his beard on a man’s tuba and bending over an emu while accidentally touching faces with Corden, I couldn’t help but think, WAAA?

Or more precisely, WHY?

Why is that type of silliness considered more entertaining than hearing the guy speak? I’m all for fun comedy bits, and this one had a few great laughs thanks to James and Baker, but why do they have to spend Mayfield’s entire appearance on it?

Maybe ask him questions first and let Baker be Baker, give the world a chance to fall in love with the man the same way Cleveland has.

Besides, Baker doesn’t need comedy bits to be funny – have you seen him mic’ed up in front of a camera or on HBO’s Hard Knocks?

Dude’s hilarious.

But the CBS producers went straight for the easy nuzzle and the world was forced to see our Baker Mayfield from a fairly odd angle. To be honest, as a Browns fan it felt cringe worthy, like watching an auntie force your kid to sing Jingle Bells in front of a roomful of guests.

Kudos for going through with it, kid, but WHY?

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Again, Mayfield’s a great sport and he pulled it off like a nuzzlin’ champ, but as his reputation grows and his Browns continue to win, hopefully during his future TV appearances he’ll get to do what he does best, which is kick back and be Baker.

Or more precisely, Cleveland Browns’ Baker.

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