Returning to his show following a week-long vacation where he was in the news for alleged abusive behavior, James Corden opened Monday night’s edition of The Late Late Show explaining what caused the controversy, and what message he has for those who claim he was abusive.
The behavior in question took place at New York City Restaurant Balthazar, where the owner Keith McNally, claimed that Corden was extremely rude to his staff – calling him the most abusive customer his restaurant has ever had in its 25 years of existence.
Corden initially responded by calling the restaurant and personally speaking to McNally to apologize, only to publicly tell the New York Times a couple days later that he did nothing wrong, which prompted the restaurateur on Friday to call out Corden again and request an apology for his staff, even going so far as to say that if the apology actually happens the TV personality can eat at Balthazar for free for the next 10 years.
Tonight, Corden responded by using his own show as the platform, and started his speech off by calling Balthazar his favorite restaurant, commending the vibe, the food, and the service, before explaining exactly what went wrong.
“We sit down and we ordered, and my wife explained she has a serious food allergy. So when everybody’s meals came, my wife was given the food she was allergic to. As her meal came wrong to the third time, in the heat of the moment I made a sarcastic, rude comment about cooking it myself, and it’s a comment I deeply regret.”
Corden made a point to add, “The restaurant and the manager and the server were lovely.”
However, host admitted that he initially didn’t see him as being in the wrong, but realizes now that he was. “Because I didn’t shout or scream, I didn’t call anyone names or use derogatory language, I’ve been walking around thinking I haven’t done anything wrong….but I have.”
Wrapping up his statement, Corden said, “I love that restaurant, I love the staff there. I hope I’m allowed in again one day so that when I’m back in New York I can go there and apologize in person, which is something that I will absolutely do.”
If he does indeed apologize in person, and McNally is a man of his word, then James Corden will get free meals at Balthazar for the next decade.
