James Corden gets 'extremely nasty' toward New York restaurant staff, gets banned briefly, apologizes 'profusely'
A popular French-themed restaurant in New York briefly banned British comedian and host James Corden for alleged "abusive" behavior toward the kitchen staff.
Balthazar owner Keith McNally, 71, took to Instagram Oct. 18, Manila time, to recall two accounts of Corden's treatment of his workers, based on manager's reports.
The first incident happened last June, when Corden, 44, showed that there's hair in his food.
The manager was "very apologetic" about what happened, McNally said, but Corden acted "extremely nasty."
“Get us another round of drinks this second. And also take care of all of our drinks so far," Corden allegedly told the staff. He also allegedly threatened to write "nasty reviews" about the restaurant.
The second incident happened last October when Corden was with his wife for brunch.
McNally said Corden asked for a table outside, during which his wife ordered egg yolk omelette with gruyere cheese and salad.
Corden later called the server, complaining about "a little bit of egg white" mixed with the egg yolk.
The kitchen remade the entire dish, but mistakenly put home fries instead of salad. That's when Corden "began yelling like crazy" at the server, McNally said.
"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 allegedly told the staff.
The server apologized and brought the floor manager to the table, during which Corden returned the dish again.
The floor manager then offered promo champagne glasses "to smooth things out," McNally said, and Corden was "pleasant" to him. Corden, however, was "nasty" to the server, who was "very shaken" with the incident but remained professional nonetheless.
McNally called Corden "the most abusive customer" in Balthazar since opening 25 years ago.
"James Corden is a Hugely gifted comedian, but a tiny Cretin of a man," McNally said, adding that he doesn't often "86" (eject) a customer, but 86'd Corden when he went to Balthazar on Oct. 18, Manila time.
After his original Instagram post made the rounds online, McNally wrote another one, saying Corden called him and apologized "profusely."
"Having fucked up myself more than most people, I strongly believe in second chances," the restaurant owner said.
McNally jokingly said that he will "immediately rescind" the ban if Corden will let him host the Late Late Show for nine months.
"But....anyone magnanimous enough to apologize to a deadbeat layabout like me (and my staff) doesn’t deserve to be banned from anywhere," he said. "So Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Corden, Jimmy Corden. All is Forgiven. xx."