John Legend brought his musical prowess and natural charm to “The Jennifer Hudson Show” on Monday, Nov. 25, where the Grammy-winning artist displayed his ability to transform even the most ridiculous moments into melodic gold.
Legend, 45, tickled the ivories while pretending to write a song about being jealous that his wife was kissing someone else other than him.
During the appearance on the show, host Jennifer Hudson, 43, challenged Legend to make up an impromptu song based on a random photo.
“We love that you can make a song up about anything,” Hudson said, setting the tone for the segment.
Legend, who has written songs for artists like Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, Kelly Clarkson, and Carrie Underwood, humbly noted, “I’m a songwriter, I am. I’m not a freestyle [rapper] like Common is, he’s a real freestyler.”
Hudson, undeterred, seemed to dismiss his humility about her boyfriend of two years and pushed the challenge further.
“OK, I got a little inspo though,” she teased. “If I pull up a picture can you make a song to it?”
“I can try,” Legend replied with a smile as the two made their way to a grand piano on the opposite side of the stage.
Hudson explained the rules: Legend had to create a song on the spot, inspired by whatever image appeared on the screen.
“I’mma try my best,” he assured the audience. “I’m really doing this impromptu, y’all. This is not fake, this is real.”
The moment took a hilarious turn when a photo of Legend’s wife, former supermodel Chrissy Teigen, 38, appeared on the screen.
In the picture, Teigen was seen pantomiming as if she were kissing a fish at a market. Beside her were two of her four children, Luna Simone, 8, and Miles Theodore, 6.
Without missing a beat, Legend turned the quirky snapshot into a soulful tune, bringing laughter to the room.
He playfully sang, “Chrissy, oh why are you kissing a fishy?” before leaning further into the humor of the situation.
“Chrissy, why are you kissing a fishy? Don’t you have a man at home? He’s sitting all alone. Oh, don’t you have a man at home? Leave that fish alone,” he continued to croon.
The audience erupted with laughter as Legend seamlessly combined wit and melody, proving yet again why he’s won countless awards for this craft, including an Academy Award with Hudson’s boyfriend, Common, for the song “Glory.”
The off-the-cuff performance not only highlighted his musical brilliance but also his ability to find joy and creativity in life’s unexpected moments.
Fans flooded the comment section of the video on YouTube, celebrating the master singer/songwriter.
“So much talent. We want a whole version of the fish song,” one person wrote.
“LOVIE ME SOME LEGEND!!!!” one comment read. “PLEASE COMPLETE YOUR FISH SONG, OR HECK!!!! I WILL BUY THE SAMPLE!!! TITLE OF SONG SHOULD BE, LEAVE THAT FISH ALONE AND COME BACK HOME.!!! GOD BLESS.”
One viewer wrote, “John not a super fan but a fan and that first song I knew where U were going word for word! I was feeling that to at first look at the picture.”
Though Legend jokingly sang about being alone while his wife was kissing a fish, few people seem to be familiar with their sense of humor. The couple just celebrated their 18th anniversary and are more than just spouses, they’re “best friends,” according to Teigen.
She said in an interview with Us at ChainFEST in October, “We are genuinely best friends. We like being together, we like being with each other. We have the same sense of humor and also I learn so much from him all the time. He has a way.”
The two are still very much in love, nurturing two toddlers: Esti Maxine, 22 months, and son Wren Alexander, 17 months.
Legend is a unique talent outside of being a dad and husband, amassing an impressive collection of accolades over his career that includes 12 Grammy Awards, two Emmy Awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and a Tony Award. He also hosts the honor of being the first African-American man to achieve EGOT status and stands among just 15 people in this exclusive and prestigious club.
Among those distinguished artists to receive an EGOT is Hudson, who sang a duet version of his hit song “Ordinary People” on the show.
The show posted the two singing on social media with the caption, “There’s nothing ordinary about this performance.” Many of the show’s 1.3 million fans weighed in on their special gifts.
One person said, “I love john@legend’s voice!!!! He and Jennifer sound amazing!!!”
“Soooo when does the album drop,” another asked.
While the two have not talked about doing an album together, this is not the first time that the two have sung together. During Hudson’s 100th episode in 2023, he joined her to sing “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”
Perhaps this is a project they might consider in the future.
