‘Cretin’ Corden back on guest list after New York restaurant row
‘Anyone magnanimous enough to apologise to a deadbeat layabout like me doesn’t deserve to be banned’
JAMES CORDEN has apologised to a New York restaurant and had a ban on him revoked following his alleged “abusive” treatment of staff.
Keith Mcnally, the manager of Balthazar, a French restaurant in Soho, said while the British comedian and Late Late Show host was a “hugely gifted comedian”, he was also a “tiny cretin of a man”.
In an Instagram post, Mcnally said Corden was the “most abusive customer to my Balthazar servers” since the restaurant opened 25 years ago.
“I don’t often 86 a customer [an industry term for refusing to serve someone]... today I 86’d Corden. It did not make me laugh,” he said.
He added that in June, Corden had been “extremely nasty” to one of the managers, while in another incident he yelled “like crazy” at a server because they had delivered an egg-yolk omelette to his wife, Julia, which still had some white in it.
One of the restaurant managers said Corden had found a hair in his food, which, while “diabolical... happens very occasionally in all restaurants”.
Mcnally wrote that Corden was “extremely nasty” to the manager, and said: “Get us another round of drinks this second. And also take care of all of our drinks so far.”
He also allegedly threatened to leave “nasty” reviews of the restaurant online.
Another manager reported that Corden had brunch at Balthazar on Oct 9, and his wife had ordered an egg yolk omelette with gruyère cheese and salad.
“A few minutes after they received the food, James called their server... and told her there was a little bit of egg white mixed with the egg yolk,” the manager wrote.
“The kitchen remade the dish, but unfortunately sent it with home fries instead of salad. 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!’” The manager said he had given the couple champagne, after which “Corden was pleasant to him but nasty to the server”.
On Monday night, Mcnally said Corden had phoned him to apologise “profusely” following the post. He added that he “strongly” believed in second chances and that he would rescind the ban.
“Having f----- up myself more than most people, I strongly believe in second chances.
“So if James Corden lets me host his Late Late Show for nine months, I’ll immediately rescind his ban from Balthazar. No, of course not.
“But... anyone magnanimous enough to apologise 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”
Corden has been approached for comment.
James Corden
You can’t do your job! You can’t do your job! Maybe I should go into the kitchen and cook the omelette myself!
Corden
Get us another round of drinks this second. And also take care of all of our drinks so far!
Restaurateur Keith Mcnally
I don’t often 86 a customer [an industry term for refusing to serve someone]... today I 86’d Corden. It did not make me laugh