Balthazar Owner Keith McNally criticized James Corden for denying that he was abusive to the servers on some occasions when he visited the restaurant.
Corden had earlier stated in an interview that he had done “nothing wrong” after he made the headlines for being abusive to servers at Balthazar.
In response to the comedian’s remark, McNally accused Corden of lying and urged him to acknowledge his error publicly. He said that his crew members had no excuse for lying about the events, raising the possibility that the presenter of “The Late Late Show” was just in denial.
Read on to learn more.
Keith McNally Reacts To James Corden Denying He Was Abusive
McNally took to Instagram to respond to Corden’s comment that he had done “nothing wrong” after coming under fire for mistreating the servers at New York-based restaurant Balthazar.
McNally, who owns the dining house, had earlier written a scathing Instagram post where he described the instances when the comedian was rude to his staff. He then banned the tv personality from his restaurant before later rescinding the decision, claiming that Corden had apologized.
In a surprising turn of events, Corden defended himself in an interview with the New York Times, saying he had done “nothing wrong.”
Replying to Corden’s claim, McNally wrote, “I’ve no wish to kick a man when he’s down. specially one who’s worth $100 Million, but when James Corden said in yesterday’s NY Times that he hadn’t done ‘anything wrong, on any level,’ was he joking?”
He added, “Or was he denying being abusive to my servers? Whatever Corden meant, his implication was clear: he didn’t do it.”
Keith McNally Wants James Corden To ‘Admit He Did Wrong’
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McNally then admitted that while he was not in the restaurant when the actor displayed his questionable acts, he knew that Corden had truly done what he was accused of because his staff had no incentive to lie about the incidents.
He said, “I wish James Corden would live up to his Almighty initials and come clean. If the supremely talented actor wants to retrieve the respect he had from all his fans (all 4 of them) before this incident, then he should at least admit he did wrong.”
McNally also noted that the comedian was yet to apologize to the two servers he abused during his visit to the restaurant. He then said he would allow Corden “eat for free at Balthazar for the next 10 years” if he made those apologies.
Fans Are Annoyed At James Corden’s Lack Of Remorse
In the comment section, Corden was once again criticized for his remarks, similar to the flak he received when McNally made his initial post.
One individual said, “What’s worse, he used the phrase ‘its silly’ several times referencing the incident. Treating others with kindness and respect isn’t silly. Its civilized. What’s silly is that anyone anywhere thinks shouting at restaurant staff is acceptable.
Another person wrote, “The way you treat restaurant staff (or anyone in the service industry, for that matter) is a window into your soul. Given the many stories that have come out since your post, his behavior at Balthazar was hardly the first time — and sadly, won’t be the last.”
One more person said, “Like I said, that ‘apology’ you received didn’t age very well, did it? At this point in my life, my gut and not my conscience is in charge. When my gut tells me someone is a schmuck, I listen. You gave him a chance, and BOOM- schmuckery.”
Some Restaurant Owners Defended The Talk Show Host
Amid the entire uproar about Corden’s mistreatment of staff, some restaurant owners within NYC came out to defend the comedian, citing different instances when the actor related well with the team and went as far as entertaining them.
According to Page Six, Stratis Morfogen, a restaurant owner, said that the “Late Late Show” presenter is one of his friendliest and funniest patrons. Morfogen said that Corden was so wonderful that it was impossible for him to even conceive the comedian being unkind to workers.
Morfogen then recalled a time when his restaurant, Brooklyn Chop House, catered a 2018 post-Grammys celebration where Corden performed songs with bartenders and spoke with staff members behind the bar before leaving a sizable tip.
Another restauranteur, Todd English, expressed the same opinion. He said Corden was “absolutely lovely” and “incredibly personable” to him and his staff when they served at the Tony Awards afterparties.
