James Corden publicly addressed the controversy between himself and a New York City restaurant owner who called him a “tiny cretin of a man” and “the most abusive customer” earlier this week.
The “Late Late Show” host discussed the incident during a recent interview with The New York Times. “I haven’t done anything wrong, on any level,” Corden told the publication. “So why would I ever cancel this [interview]? I was there. I get it.”
“I feel so zen about the whole thing. Because I think it’s so silly. I just think it’s beneath all of us. It’s beneath you. It’s certainly beneath your publication,” the 44-year-old host continued. He also said he might discuss the whole incident on his show next week.
“I think I’m probably going to have to talk about it on Monday’s show,” Corden told the Times. “My feeling, often, is, never explain, never complain. But I’ll probably have to talk about it.”
It all started Monday when restaurateur Keith McNally went public with stories of Corden’s alleged rudeness at the NYC eatery Balthazar.
“I don’t often 86 a customer, but today I 86’d Corden,” McNally said, using a restaurant term for canceling something. “It did not make me laugh.”
The owner went on to describe how the late night host allegedly berated the restaurant staff for minor slights including finding a hair in his food and demanding free drinks.
During another alleged incident, he said Corden complained about his wife’s meal. McNally said, “That’s when James Corden began yelling like crazy to the server: ‘You can’t do your job! You can’t do your job! Maybe I should go into the kitchen and cook the omelette myself!'”
Later, McNally said he respected how Corden called and apologized after the story went viral. “James Corden just called me and apologized profusely. Having f***ed up myself more than most people, I strongly believe in second chances,” McNally wrote before joking he would reverse the ban if he could host “Late Late Show” for nine months.
“Anyone magnanimous enough to apologize to a deadbeat layabout like me (and my staff) doesn’t deserve to be banned from anywhere. Especially Balthazar. So Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Corden, Jimmy Corden. All is Forgiven. Xx,” the restauranteur continued.
McNally wrote in a follow-up Instagram post that he felt sorry for the British presenter.
“Feeling strange about the James Corden thing,” McNally shared. “On the one hand, he was definitely abusive to my staff, on the other hand, I feel really sorry for him right now.”
“Like most cowards, I want it both ways. F*** it, I’m going to get drunk,” he said.