James Corden Can Eat At Balthazar For Free Despite Retracting Apology – But There's A Catch
James Corden recently broke his silence after being referred to as a "tiny cretin of a man" by Keith McNally, the proprietor of the Balthazar restaurant in New York City.
He accused the "most abusive customer" of being obnoxious and even barred the presenter of the "Late Late Show" from the Manhattan hotspot.
McNally accused Corden of being unkind to his staff by shouting at them and demanding free food from the eatery.
"I don't often 86 a customer, so today I 86'd Corden. It did not make me laugh."
However, a few hours later, the 44-year-old comic contacted the restauranteur to "apologize profusely," and the ban was revoked.
However, it appears like he is withdrawing his apologies to McNally. Corden told the New York Times that he done nothing wrong "on any level," and asked, "So why would I ever cancel this [interview]? I was there. I get it."
Corden stated that he feels "so zen" about the entire topic since he believes it is "so stupid."
"I just think it's beneath all of us. It's beneath you. It's certainly beneath your publication," he told the New York Times.
At one point during the interview, the British celebrity looked over to a diner who was unhappy with her meal at the Mark Restaurant, informing the interviewer that it "happens every day" and at "55,000 restaurants as we speak." Everything revolves around eggs."
But Keith McNally just told TMZafter finding out how James Corden wasn't sorry, "I have no wish to kick a man when he's down, but I believe the best way for James Corden to retrieve some of the vast respect the public had for him before this incident is to own up to it and apologize to the young servers he abused."
He told the newspaper that if Corden is mature enough, he "may eat free at Balthazar for the rest of the year."
McNally subsequently increased the game, stating Corden may eat for free at Balthazar for the next ten years if he apologizes.
"Was he joking?" McNally questions after discovering that Corden said he hadn't done "anything wrong, on any level."
"Or was he denying being abusive to my servers? Whatever Corden meant, his implication was clear: he didn't do it."
Though McNally admitted that he was unable to watch the full incident when Corden mistreated the two waiters, a large portion of his restaurant floor crew did, and they had nothing to gain by lying.
The restaurant owner then thought Corden would simply accept his mistake.
And if he takes a step further and apologizes to the two servers he allegedly insulted, James Corden will be able to eat at Balthazar for free for the next ten years, according to McNally.
