Chappell Roan’s parents just hijacked Carpool Karaoke and turned it into an emotional rollercoaster we were not buckled in for. In a Christmas edition of the singalong series, Roan’s mom and dad joined her in the car and decided to do what no one was prepared for: make everyone cry while bopping to Pink Pony Club.
Let’s set the scene: the song, a shimmering anthem of leaving a small town to live your truest, glitteriest self in Los Angeles, blasted through the car. Chappell—currently slaying with her Grammy-nominated debut album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess—was living her best car concert life. But then Mom Kara and Dad Dwight decided to go for gold in the Parental Feels Olympics.
First up: Mom Kara, who chimed in mid-singalong like the world’s most supportive human, saying, “Even when we’re grown up, we really care what our parents think about us.” Translation: Even when you’re wearing 10 pounds of rhinestones and performing for screaming crowds, you still need Mom’s approval. And, spoiler alert, Chappell has it in spades. Kara went on to declare, “We love her so much and we could never not be proud of her.” A line that hits harder than your grandma’s mystery casserole at Thanksgiving.
Not to be outdone, Dad Dwight entered the chat with a monologue that could make a Hallmark card cry. He dropped, “I hope that that’s something that she always knows—that we love her so much.” Okay, Dwight! Stop! We’re already tearing up. But no, he doubled down and delivered a Father of the Year moment, saying, “What she has taught me as a father is respect for other people and all people… Everything that is about her is about loving everybody.”
Dwight, sir, we’re not crying; you’re crying.
Takeaways:
– Chappell Roan has parents who are so wholesome they should legally not be allowed on reality TV for fear of breaking the internet’s heart.
– “Pink Pony Club” has now been rebranded from “certified bop” to “the official soundtrack for your next sob session.”
– Chappell’s dad might actually be the mascot for world peace.
Someone put Dwight and Kara on a billboard that says: “Parents of the Year, 2024—bringing tissues and unconditional love wherever they go.”
Also, James Corden is somewhere punching the air for letting someone else take over Carpool Karaoke this emotionally. We get it, James. We’re wrecked too.