“The Late Late Show” host James Corden is back in the good graces of Balthazar restaurateur Keith McNally, who had announced hours earlier that he had banned the comedian from his popular New York City eatery and characterized Corden as “a tiny Cretin of a man.”
Shortly after announcing the ban and calling Corden “the most abusive customer,” McNally, 71, said on Instagram that “all is forgiven” because Corden called him “and apologized profusely.”
“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 9 months, I’ll immediately rescind his ban from Balthazar,” the famed restaurateur quipped, referring to the CBS program for which the host’s run wraps next year.
“No, of course not,” McNally added. “But….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”
About seven hours earlier, McNally had announced on Instagram that he “86’d” the “Prom” and “Cats” star, accusing Corden of speaking rudely to Balthazar staff. He shared two manager’s reports that alleged the Emmy winner berated staff when he found a hair in his food on one occasion and when his wife’s brunch order was bungled on another.
“James Corden is a Hugely gifted comedian, but a tiny Cretin of a man,” McNally had written. “And the most abusive customer to my Balthazar servers since the restaurant opened 25 years ago. I don’t often 86 a customer, [but] today I 86’d Corden. It did not make me laugh.”
The “Carpool Karaoke” star has not yet addressed the flap on social media, and representatives for him and “The Late Late Show” did not immediately respond to The Times’ requests for comment.
“The Late Late Show With James Corden,” in its ninth season, is running rebroadcasts this week, so don’t expect Corden to be addressing the matter in a monologue tonight. He will return with a new show on Oct. 24.