Is the James Corden Era Over? Every Single One of His Controversies, Explained

Today, James Corden has the pleasure of calling himself the host of a four-time Emmy-winning talk show. The Late Late Show with James Corden boasts a whopping 27 million subscribers on YouTube, with his videos wracking up over 10 billion views. But that’s not all. Corden is also an actor, singer, and comedian. And while he should be at the top of his game right now, he’s recently developed a reputation for being arrogant and entitled with a lack of artistic judgment…

To many people, James Corden is like a persistent rash. He gets under your skin, he makes you a little uncomfortable, and he refuses to go away. And while there was a time when this British talk show host won over the world, the James Corden era seems to have ended. With each new controversy, he’s dug himself an even deeper hole – but will he be able to get out of it? If you’ve forgotten, this is every single one of his controversies explained.

When He Joked About Jada Pinkett Smith After the Infamous Oscars Slap

The world was rocked at the 94th Academy Awards when Will Smith jumped on stage to slap comedian Chris Rock in the face. The slap resulted from a joke about Will’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith – and while most comedians should have concluded that joking about Jada was a no-go, James decided that he was going to do just that. And it didn’t go down well.

During a musical skit where James and his cast performed a take on the musical movie Encanto, James sang, “We don’t talk about Jada, no, no, no.” His social media was instantly hit with criticism, with people writing things like “Had we stopped mocking Black women for too long for your comfort?” and “I genuinely think it’s literally impossible to find someone as unfunny as James Corden.”

When His “Spill Your Guts” Segment Was Criticized for Being Culturally Offensive

From “Carpool Karaoke” to “Celebrity Riff-Offs”, The Late Late Show with James Corden is full of skits and sketches fans love to watch. And while “Spill Your Guts or Fill Your Guts” was also once a fan favorite, it was recently called out for being culturally offensive in 2021. In fact, over 12,000 people signed a petition calling for the end of the segment due to its offensive nature.

In this segment, James often used dishes like fish eyes, cod sperm, water scorpion, and other foods that were deemed to be “disgusting.” However, what he failed to realize was that many of the dishes he was calling disgusting were actually delicacies in certain countries. Activist Kim Saira began the petition, and she stated that “Not only is this segment incredibly culturally offensive and insensitive, but it also encourages anti-Asian racism.”

When He Was Accused of Stealing a Ricky Gervais Joke Word-for-Word For His Show

Talk show hosts are often hired for their personalities and comedic skills, which was certainly the case for James Corden. However, he was called out in November 2022 when it was discovered that a joke about a “town square” and “guitar lessons” from his monologue wasn’t his own. It had actually been written by fellow comedian Ricky Gervais for his 2018 Netflix special Humanity. Of course, fans were outraged when they learned that Corden had copied another artist’s work.

However, Gervais started to feel sorry for James when he saw the backlash the talk show host was receiving. Ricky wrote on Twitter that “I reckon one of the writers ‘came up with it’ for him. I doubt he would knowingly just copy such a famous stand up routine word for word like that.” In the end, Corden acknowledged his mistake on his show’s social media channels, stating that he “Inadvertently told a brilliant Ricky Gervais joke on the show last night, obviously not knowing it came from him.”

When He Made an Uncomfortable Joke About a Convicted Abuser at an AIDS Gala

Since breaking into Hollywood, James Corden has been asked to host numerous events, from awards shows to charity galas. In 2017, he took to the stage as the host of the AmfAR Gala – an event that sees celebrities rally together to raise money to support the organization’s dedication to AIDS research. Then, he shocked everyone when he made an uncomfortable joke about convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein.

While we do not feel comfortable repeating this joke, it was clear from everyone at the event that James did not read the room. His attempt at a joke didn’t go down well, and he was publicly called out on social media in the days following the gala. Rose McGowan, who has used her platform to speak out about sexual abuse in Hollywood, wrote to Corden on social media. She wrote, “Hearing the audience’s vile roars & laughs show EXACTLY what kind of HOLLYWOOD you really are.”

When He Reportedly Attended a Meeting To Advocate for Giving His Own Writers Lower Wages

While James Corden comes up with a lot of his material himself, his show wouldn’t run without the full support of a team of writers behind the scenes. It’s their job to put together jokes, monologues, and comedy segments. However, fans were quick to criticize James when he reportedly attended a Writers Guild of America meeting so that he could pay his writers less.

While countless reports suggest that James wanted to reduce the wages of his hardworking writers, he has denounced these claims. He’s stated that these claims are “disappointing” and that “I would never ever want to pay a writer less than they deserve. Never. I love every writer on my show and all I ever wanted from that meeting was to explore whether talented people could get a better opportunity.” However, the truth is still unknown.

When He Was Apparently a Jerk to His Wife and Baby on a Commercial Flight

Since making it big in Hollywood, James has had the full support of his wife Julia Carey, and their three children. Unfortunately, reports have suggested that James doesn’t support them as much as they support him. A story from 2017 alleged that 30 minutes into a flight from New York to London, a woman with a crying infant was ushered into business class and told to sit next to James. Corden didn’t react but instead, put his headphones on and ignored her. To begin with, fellow passengers were impressed…

While some passengers were surprised when Corden didn’t complain, they soon realized why. As they were being herded off the plane, the woman bizarrely handed the talk show host the baby so she could sort out her bags. His angry response was “For f***’s sake, can you at least hold the baby while I get the bags down.” Those around him soon realized that the woman was his wife and the infant was his own child.

When He Controversially Became a Spokesperson for Weight Watchers

One of the reasons many fans have fallen in love with James Corden over the years is because he seemed like a normal guy. He wasn’t a stick-thin Hollywood type but instead a man with a normal body. And while he’s often spoken out about his weight in the past, many people were aggravated when James became the spokesperson for Weight Watchers.

In a commercial for the weight loss company, James stated that “I’ve lost 20 pounds thanks to Weight Watchers.” However, many people were quick to call him out on this. As a rich celebrity who can afford a personal trainer, chef, and nutritionist, many people didn’t believe that James was being authentic with his promotion.

When He Publicly Insulted the Visual Effects Society On-Stage at The Oscars

It’s no secret that the 2019 adaptation of Cats divided opinions. James Corden’s involvement in this movie also left many fans confused, but many assumed that he would at least defend the film from the backlash he received. Unfortunately, this didn’t happen. Instead, he publicly mocked the movie with his co-star Rebel Wilson as they presented the award for Best Visual Effects at the Oscars.

In front of millions of people, Corden (while dressed as a cat) joked that “nobody understands more than us the importance of good visual effects.” But this joke didn’t go down well with the Visual Effects Society, who decided to rebut his joke with a statement that read “The best visual effects in the world will not compensate for a story told badly. On a night that is all about honoring the work of talented artists, it is immensely disappointing that The Academy made visual effects the butt of a joke.”

When He Was Called Out for Mocking and Taking Advantage of Gay Stereotypes

Despite the fact that James Corden is married to a woman, many have questioned his sexuality over the years – largely because he has been called out for mocking and taking advantage of gay stereotypes. Not only has Corden publicly kissed men such as Harry Styles and Sean Spicer for the sake of entertainment and video views, but he’s also written sketches that take advantage of these “camp stereotypes.”

One particular skit from Gavin & Stacey has been called out in the past, and Corden himself has stated that “I can’t imagine we would do that sketch today.” As if that wasn’t enough, though, the talk show host found himself in hot water in 2020 when he appeared in the movie musical The Prom. Viewers criticized his character in this movie who claimed it was offensive and stereotypical.

When He Purposefully Stopped Traffic for the Sake of Entertainment

James Corden’s The Late Late Show is full of skits and sketches that involve celebrities, music, and dancing. And while this is one of the reasons why people tune in each week, it’s also one of the reasons why people are starting to dislike him. Over the years, he has caused outrage during his flash-mob sketches, which are often created to promote new movies.

While promoting the 2021 movie Cinderella – which he both co-produced and starred in – he dressed up as a mouse with Idina Menzel and Camila Cabello and stopped traffic at an intersection to dance and sing for the sake of television. From the honking of horns and annoyed faces of those in their cars, it was clear that people didn’t appreciate being made late for work or appointments to appease his fame and fortune.

When He Cut Off Adele’s Album of the Year Speech at the BRIT Awards

James Corden is constantly being asked to host or present at award shows, which was no different in 2012. That year, he was asked to host the BRIT Awards, a prestigious ceremony celebrating the best of British music. It was this year that Adele won the award for Album of the Year, and while many anticipated a long acceptance speech, she was instead cut off by the host.

In response, Adele flipped the bird – and fans became angry towards James. They couldn’t believe that he interrupted and cut off her big moment, and they were quick to drag him on social media. However, he later stated that this wasn’t his choice. He confessed that “I was having the best night of my life, and then I had to cut Adele off before she’s even had chance to say thank you. She’s the biggest star in the world. I don’t understand what happened but I’m upset about it.”

When He Couldn’t Even Name Two of the Crew Who Worked on His Show

The more famous he has gotten, the more James Corden has been called entitled and arrogant. And many fans believed that one segment in 2016 proved this true. During a game of “Spill Your Guts or Fill Your Guts” with fellow talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, the pair had to ask each other deeply personal questions. And fans were on tenterhooks when Jimmy asked James to name two of the cameramen in the room.

It was immediately clear that James was uncomfortable with this question, and he looked noticeably embarrassed when he said, “That is a great question. It’s a different crew tonight actually.” Because he couldn’t answer the question or name the crew who had worked on his show for years, he was instead forced to drink a fish smoothie.

When He Had a Very Public and Uncomfortable Fight With Acting Legend Patrick Stewart

It’s not unusual for celebrities to not get along. Humans naturally don’t gel with everyone, but celebrities often tend to hide their feelings when they’re in public. However, James Corden forgot this rule at the Glamour Awards in 2010. During this event, he was tasked with presenting an award with Star Trek actor Patrick Stewart. Instead, they ended up having a very public and uncomfortable fight.

On stage, Patrick called out James for looking as though he didn’t want to be up on stage. He told him: “Don’t stand at the back of the stage with your hands in your pockets, looking around as though you wish you were anywhere but here.” In response, James pretended to hold a phone up to his ear while saying “can we get a taxi ready quickly, please? The old man is going home.” This public spat went viral, with most people favoring Stewart.

When He Constantly Sings Over His Professional Carpool Karaoke Guests

Perhaps one of James Corden’s most popular sketches to date is his “Carpool Karaoke” segment. This segment sees the talk show host pick up a celebrity before they spend the ride singing the guests’ most famous songs. And while fans have been blown away by James’ singing abilities in the past, this segment has also caused outrage.

Although nobody can deny that James can sing a tune, some fans have accused Corden of constantly needing to sing over his guests. Whether he’s harmonizing or just singing louder than the guest, many believe that he should leave the singing to the actual professionals rather than trying to constantly steal the show.

When a Petition Pleaded for Movie Execs To Keep James Out of the Wicked Movie

Although James Corden is first and foremost a talk show host and actor, there’s no doubt about the fact that his singing ability has come in handy over the years. He’s starred in countless movie musicals such as Into the Woods, Cats, Trolls, The Prom, and Cinderella. But due to his lack of formal training and his place in the limelight, some critics believe he doesn’t deserve his place in the musical realm.

In fact, when it was announced that a movie version of the acclaimed musical Wicked was coming to our screens, critics started a petition about him. This petition was quite literally named “Keep James Corden out of Wicked the movie” and was created because “James Corden in no way shape or form should be in or near the production of Wicked the movie.” It seems as though many other people agree, as it currently has over 110,000 signatures.

When He Called Out Another Famous Celebrity for Being “Rude”

Celebrities often try to keep their opinions on other celebrities to themselves, but sometimes they don’t have a choice – especially if they have to choose between either telling the truth or eating a glass of bird saliva. This was the case when Khloe Kardashian appeared on the Spill Your Guts segment on James’ talk show. When Khloe asked which celebrity James thought was the rudest, he didn’t want to drink it.

Instead, he told the reality star that Pierce Brosnan was the rudest celebrity he had ever met. He spoke about an awkward encounter where Pierce pushed James out of the way at a U2 concert, and while Khloe wondered whether Pierce was simply drunk, James replied that “Maybe he’s just a bit f***ing rude.” Of course, this response didn’t go down well with fans of the 007 star.

When He Poked Fun at the Huge BTS Fan Base

You don’t have to be a fan of BTS to know that this band has a giant fan base across the globe, and even James Corden knows this. He has been a huge supporter of the band over the years and welcomed them onto his talk show countless times. The BTS army even used to call him “Papa Mochi,” but that all changed when he poked fun at the fans during BTS’s visit to the United Nations General Assembly in New York in 2021.

James tried to joke on his show when he said, “People say why are BTS there? The world leaders have no choice but to take BTS seriously. At the end of the day, BTS has one of the largest armies on Earth.” This joke didn’t go down well with BTS fans, with one writing on Twitter that “Actually I’m still pissed about this. @JKCorden has had BTS on the show several times and said so many nice things about them… but threw all of it away to use them (and us) for a cheap joke. “

When Liam Gallagher Outright Refused To Be on James Corden’s Talk Show

For a long time, having the chance to appear on The Late Late Show with James Corden was considered a real privilege. It was an exciting opportunity for celebs to promote a new movie or album and to skyrocket their career even further. But in 2017, one celebrity refused the opportunity because he didn’t want to work with the “k**bhead” that was James Corden.

In fact, the former Oasis band member called Corden “that fat bloke from Kevin and Perry” and he knew that he didn’t want to appear on the show or interact with the talk show host at all. It’s unknown why Liam had such strong feelings about James, but many wonder if he knew of his reputation before the rest of the world did.

When He Was Banned From a Restaurant for Being “The Most Abusive Customer” the Staff Had Ever Encountered

With fame and fortune comes a lot of entitlement, and many believe that James Corden has let fame go to his head. In 2022, Keith McNally – who owns the popular restaurant Balthazar in New York City – stated on Instagram that he had banned the comedian from ever entering his establishment again. He wrote that Corden was “the most abusive customer” he had ever encountered since the restaurant opened 25 years ago.

In the dramatic Instagram post, McNally called Corden, a “tiny cretin of a man” who demanded free drinks when he found a hair in his food. He also apparently yelled at his servers when he ordered an egg-yolk omelet and found a small amount of egg white. After weeks of speculation surrounding “egg-gate,” Corden finally acknowledged his behavior. He revealed that “in the heat of the moment, I made a sarcastic, rude comment…And it is a comment I deeply regret.”

When His Gavin & Stacey Co-Star Told Him To Stop Being a “Brat”

When you look at where James Corden has come from, you can’t help but be impressed. After all, he’s worked his way up from a small British comedy to a huge American talk show. And while many people believe that his entitled behavior has come later in his career, it seems his Gavin & Stacey co-star Rob Brydon confronted him much earlier.

Rob confronted James and told him “Look this is a bit awkward to say, but I’m just hearing these things about you, and you’ve got to know that the way you behave has an effect on people.” Apparently, he wasn’t the only one. James’ own sister reportedly told him that he was becoming a “d***head” and that he needed to buck his ideas up.

When He Angered a Whole Host of Baseball Fans for the Sake of Joke

Jokes are difficult to get right, and they’re easy to get wrong. James Corden realized this himself when he suffered the wrath of baseball fans a few years ago. During a snippet of his talk show host, he can be seen talking about sports and how he doesn’t like baseball. He even joked that “Baseball is so boring that you made Michael Jordan suck.”

Michael Jordan is largely considered to be one of the most iconic atheletes of all time, and it’s fair to say that fans of the player and of the sport itself didn’t appreciate Corden’s attempt at a joke. This was especially true as Corden has often used baseball to bring other jokes to life for the sake of his television show.

When His Attempts To Have a Reddit AMA Backfired When He Was Inundated With Negative Stories

In the past, many celebrities have enlisted the help of Reddit AMAs in order to get closer to their fans. James attempted to do this back in 2019. However, Corden only actually answered three questions in the end, as he was hit with a barrage of negative stories and criticism about his place in the limelight. In fact, over 700 fans couldn’t resist the urge to call him out on his entitlement.

These people used the Reddit thread to share their interactions with the talk show host, and very few were positive. One person wrote, “Hey James. You won’t remember me but me and my friends sat at a table next to you and Harry Styles… about 6 years ago. We didn’t bother you but you were a massively entitled c**t who yelled and treated the waitstaff like sh*t and when one of my party politely suggested you calm down, you got really aggressive and threatening.”

When the World Learned That His Carpool Karaoke Role Was a Total Lie

Carpool Karaoke is one of James Corden’s most successful segments of all time, and everyone from J-Lo to Michelle Obama have sat next to James in his Range Rover. And while fans were convinced that James was quite literally carpooling with these celebrities around Los Angeles, it was discovered in 2020 that the whole thing was a lie.

Although everyone assumed that James really was a chauffeur to these pop star guests, behind-the-scenes pictures then showed the world that James wasn’t driving at all. Instead, he is just pretending while the car is being pulled along by a truck. Considering the controversy he was already facing, this discovery didn’t go down well with fans.